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The Wall Street Journal reported today that obesity is still on the rise, continuing to impact the health of millions of Americans, including their access to individual health insurance.

Obesity rates continued their climb in 31 states last year, and no state showed a decline. And as the waistlines of adults and children alike continue to grow, their quality of life, as well as lifespan itself, is shrinking.

People who are overweight are at an increased risk for diabetes, heart problems and other chronic diseases that also contribute to greater health care costs, which is why so many doctors and specialists are linking obesity to increased medical debt and the rise in individual health insurance premiums. Some carriers have already begun to charge more for "unhealthy" employees on the job, and individual applicants have long been excluded from policies altogether.

Sadly, those people who most need medical coverage are the least likely to get it. The overweight and obese need access to regular medical checkups, which are the most effective means of controlling the factors that lead to obesity, such as poor diet and lack of education regarding health choices. But, since individual health insurance is difficult to get for those classified as "unhealthy," they often don't get that help.

This is why it is so important to lead a healthy lifestyle, and to go to those checkups every year. It saves hospitals and patients alike a lot of money in the long run.