For the first time in more than a decade, the number of U.S. states reporting obesity rates of 35% or higher has dropped. Experts call this shift an encouraging sign that America’s struggle with excess weight may finally be improving, though obesity remains a pressing concern across the country.

A 50-something patient arrived at Oneida Health’s emergency department with chest pain, only to learn she was having her first heart attack. Though sudden on the surface, her condition was tied to long-term risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity.