Mississippi steals West Virginia's crown as fattest state in the U.S. with more than ONE IN THREE obese

  • New research shows state-by-state breakdown of obesity in U.S.
  • Mississippi has highest rate, while Montana has the lowest
  • Obesity has increased in the U.S. every year since 2008

By Sam Webb

PUBLISHED: 06:54 EST, 5 March 2014 | UPDATED: 07:28 EST, 5 March 2014

Mississippi has overtaken West Virginia to take the dubious honour of America's fattest state - with more than one in three residents clinically obese.

The southern state had the highest obesity rate in the U.S. in 2013, at 35.4 per cent, while Montana has the lowest rate, at 19.6 per cent.

The figures highlight the alarming rise of obesity in the U.S. Obesity has generally increased across the nation each year since 2008.

Fat of the land: A map showing obesity rates in the U.S

Fat of the land: A map showing obesity rates in the U.S

According to research from Gallup, from 2010 through 2012, West Virginia had the highest obesity rate nationwide, while Colorado had the lowest.

Five states - Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Kentucky - have been listed among the 10 states with the highest obesity rates in the nation since 2008.

Meanwhile, Colorado, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and California have routinely reported lower levels of obesity. All four have made the list of the 10 states with the lowest obesity rates each year since 2008.

 

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The national obesity rate, as computed by respondents' self-reported height and weight in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, has increased to 27.1 per cent from 26.2 per cent in 2012, and is up 1.6 percentage points from 25.5 per cent in 2008.

10 STATES WITH HIGHEST OBESITY RATES

STATE
% OBESE

Mississippi

35.4

West Virginia

34.4

Delaware

34.3

Louisiana

32.7

Arkansas

32.3

South Carolina

31.4

Tennessee

31.3

Ohio

30.9

Kentucky

30.6

Oklahoma

30.5

10 STATES WITH LOWEST OBESITY RATES

STATE
% OBESE

Montana

19.6

Colorado

20.4

Nevada

21.1

Minnesota

20

Massachusetts

22.2

Connecticut

23.2

New Mexico

23.5

California

23.6

Hawaii

23.7

New York

24

Americans who have a BMI of 30 or higher are classified as obese. More than one in five adults were obese in nearly every state in 2013, with the sole exception of Montana.

Three in 10 adults were obese in 11 states, compared with only five states in 2012. Obesity rates continue to be highest in Southern and Midwestern states and lowest in Western and Northeastern states, the research suggests.

The findings also suggest chronic diseases are more prevalent in the most obese states. Those living in the 10 states with the highest levels of obesity are more likely to report having had a diagnosis of chronic disease at some point in their lives, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, diabetes, cancer, and heart attacks.

Obesity has generally increased across the U.S. each year since 2008.

Obesity has generally increased across the U.S. each year since 2008.

AVERAGE EXERCISE AND HEALTHY EATING RATES FOR STATES WITH THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST OBESITY RATES


TEN MOST OBESE STATES AVERAGE %
TEN LEAST OBESE STATES AVERAGE %

High blood pressure

35.8

26.4

High cholesterol

28.2

23.2

Depression

20.7

16.6

Diabetes

14.3

19.6

Cancer

7.8

7.6

Heart attack

5

3.5


Conversely, Americans living in the 10 states with the lowest rates of obesity also report higher instances of healthy eating and exercise. For example, an average 66.7 per cent of those living in the 10 least obese states say they ate healthily, compared with 60.8 per cent of those living in the 10 most obese states.

'While there are a variety of factors that are often correlated with rising obesity rates, such as an unhealthy food environment, poor eating habits, increasing portion sizes, and inactivity, experts agree that the health consequences of obesity are real,' said Dr James E. Pope, Senior Vice President and Chief Science Officer at health company Healthways.

'Research has shown that the average healthcare costs for an obese individual are over $1,300 more annually than someone who is not obese.

'Although slowing and even reversing this trend may seem daunting, even modest weight loss of 5 per cent to 10 per cenmt of initial body weight can lower the health risks associated with obesity.'

The American Medical Association recognized obesity as a disease in June 2013.

AVERAGE EXERCISE AND HEALTHY EATING RATES FOR STATES WITH THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST OBESITY LEVELS


TEN MOST OBESE STATES AVERAGE %
TEN LEAST OBESE STATES AVERAGE

Ate healthily all day yesterday

60.8

66.7

Ate five or more serving of fruit/vegetables at least 4 of 7 days

55.8

59.6

Exercised for 30 minutes or more at least 3 of 7 days

49.6

56.1

Comments (46)

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I thought Michigan was the fattest state?

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That's ironic that it's increased every year since '08.

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It makes sense, since the Great Recession put a lot of people out of work, they bought carbs, which are very cheap, to live on

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Something is wrong with the way we eat or what we eat. Why do people have to graze and run themselves ragged just to stay fit? I remember couch potatoes who ate meat and potatoes back 40 years ago and none of them where fat. Nobody was and we weren't exercising.

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We didn't watch tv as much, we didn't eat box dinners/ prepared food, we didn't eat out near much.

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And we smoked lots of cigarettes. Ah, those were the days....

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'Research has shown that the average healthcare costs for an obese individual are over $1,300 more annually than someone who is not obese.' well, i must be the example that breaks the rule, because i've been obese (not proudly) for years, and my healthcare costs in the last 15 years have been less than $50 in total (uk and usa combined)! my doctor wouldn't know my name without looking at my notes.

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so in the 10 most obese states the diabetes rate is 14.3% and in the 10 least obese it's 19.6%??

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BMI is such useless indicator, because it lumps all types of weight together. Thin bone structure with little muscle and fat is celebrated while thick bone structure with more muscle and little fat is considered obese in two people that are the same height.

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It certainly not the food in Montana that helps the obesity here, it's the fact that there are so many outdoor activities to do in this state. Kids still play outside and seem to prefer it to sitting indoors playing video games.

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And this is something to be proud of?

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Obesity is a disease? Yeah, right.

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Wow, Delaware what's up with that? Everyone is accustomed to all the 'South is fat' jokes.

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I noticed that as a strange anomaly also. Delaware is a tiny state, but it has 40% more obese people than any state that surrounds it. I work with data all the time. If I saw that in one of my studies I would have to have an explanation that validates that kind of anomaly or I would start looking at the sampling protocol.

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