A survey of Knox County residents is revealing a substantial increase in obesity rates.

The Knox County Health Department recently received data contained in the Illinois County Behavioral Risk Factor Survey. Local health officials compare the information from Knox County residents to rural Illinois and statewide data to identify health-related issues that need to be addressed.

Michelle Fishburn, Director of Community Health Improvement for the health department, tells WGIL data from last year shows nearly a third of Knox County residents reported they are obese, compared to 21.5 percent in 2004.  "The obesity rates are, obviously, one of our bigger concerns," Fishburn said.  "Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in Knox County, and obesity, obviously, has a very direct link to that, with causing an increase in cholesterol, hypertension, those types of concerns."

Knox County also showed an increase in diagnosed cases of arthritis. The percentage jumped from 22.7 percent in 2004 to just over 36 percent last year. Diabetes cases are on the rise as well---from 8 percent in 2004 to 10.6 percent in 2007. The survey also found that access to health care continues to be an issue in the county.

Officials say the positives reflected in the survey are a 5 percent drop in smoking and 5 percent fewer people reporting they don't have health insurance.