New Obesity Numbers, Recovery + Housing

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Welcome to Public Health Morning Radio,

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a show for public health professionals to bring you ideas and resources in under five minutes,

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five days a week.

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It's Thursday,

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November 6th,

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2025.

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I'm Summer Johnson.

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First up this morning,

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news on the chronic disease front.

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Trust for America's Health,

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or TIFA,

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released its State of Obesity 2025 report,

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and it showed a break from the typical findings of past years.

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TIFA held a media briefing on the report,

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and TIFA CEO Dr.

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Nadine Gracia revealed a first-time improvement in the data.

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Our analysis found that 19 states had adult obesity rates at or above 35 percent in 2024,

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and that's down from 23 states the prior year.

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That represents a first-time decrease in the number of states at or above the 35%

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level since this data set began in 2011.

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TIFA has produced an annual report on obesity for more than 20 years.

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And during that time,

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they've found a steady increase in obesity rates among both adults and children in the U.S.

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across all population groups.

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Between 1999 and 2023,

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U.S.

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obesity rates have increased.

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by 32 percent among adults and by 52 percent among children and adolescents.

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And while the 2025 report demonstrates a positive shift,

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TIFA says this potential progress is at risk.

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Federal budget proposals for FY 2026 show a significant decrease in funding for programs that address obesity at a national level,

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such as funding for the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at CDC.

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which includes the elimination of the division of nutrition,

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physical activity,

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and obesity.

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This loss of funding and expertise translates to less work being done to research and implement best practices for preventing chronic disease and will lead to greater disease prevalence,

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burden,

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and costs.

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Gracia says the data shows that obesity is a population-level health issue and requires population-level solutions.

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That's why TIFA's report also has strategic policy recommendations to address funding and health measures,

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and a special feature on the emerging science and policy considerations on ultra-processed foods.

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You can read the entire report right now by visiting TIFA's website or by clicking the link in the show notes.

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We'll have a link right to it.

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And we'll have more public health research findings from reports just like this one coming at you in the weeks ahead.

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Make sure you never miss an update when you follow this newscast wherever you get your podcasts.

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The Public Health Institute is looking at the connection between safe and stable housing and its effect on people who use medication for opioid use disorder.

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A new webinar series will outline the NIDA-funded

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Infrastructure for Studying Treatment and Addiction Recovery Residences project

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and focus on how to address challenges that arise for someone in recovery when trying to access stable housing.

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There's a link in the show notes to sign up today and make sure you're on the lookout for an announcement of future webinars in the series.

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We'll let you know right here when they're available.

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And last but not least,

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a celebration of outstanding public health leaders.

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This week,

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the American Public Health Association presented its 2025 Awards for Excellence in Public Health to 13 honorees during its annual meeting and expo in Washington,

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D.C.

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The awards recognize those who demonstrate excellence in public health leadership from state and local health officials to those speaking up for public health from the halls of Congress.

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To read more about this year's honorees,

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check out APHA's announcement by clicking the link in the show notes.

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That's it for today.

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Join us right back here tomorrow for Public Health Morning Radio.

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I'm Summer Johnson.

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Be well.