Waistlines of American adults kept growing last year with obesity creeping up to 27.7 percent, according to a Gallup poll released Wednesday.

It was the highest percentage since Gallup started studying American weight issues in 2008, the pollster said.

The rate was 27.1 percent in 2013, 26.2 percent in 2012 and 25.5 percent in 2008.

The percentage of Americans who are either obese or simply overweight stood at 62.9 percent last year. And more overweight people passed over into the more serious obese category, Gallup said.

Americans who have a body mass index of 30 or higher are classified as obese.

Gallup said that obesity rates rose in particular among people over age 45 and among women.

As in previous years, African Americans, the poorest Americans and people living in southern states like Mississippi or Louisiana are the most likely to suffer from obesity.

Obese people also enjoy less "well-being," calculated with a related poll that takes into account personal, social and financial factors.

The Gallup poll involved 176,702 American adults and was conducted from January 2 through December 30, 2014. It had a margin of error ranging from one to four percentage points, depending on the size of the state being studied.
Source: AFP