America is a big country – and we’re not talking about land mass. The sea-to-shining-sea country has the largest waistlines in the world, often drawing the ridicule or contempt of other countries. It may not surprise you to learn that most of the fattest Americans are centered around the South and Midwest. These two regions boast notoriously poor health when it comes to diet and exercise. In fact, 22 of the 25 states on our list have obesity rates over 30% and no state in the country has a rate lower than 20%, not even outdoorsy Colorado or Hawaii. Unsurprisingly, obesity rates are on the rise (especially in the obese states). Pretty soon, 1 in every 4 Americans will be obese – which is a terrible and dangerous thing. (As it stands, over 1 in 3 Americans are already obese.)
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI – a common method to measure healthy weight levels) of 30 or above. Overweight falls between 25.0 – 29.9 and healthy falls between 18.5 – 24.9 for adults.) Though 34.9% adult obesity may not seem insurmountable, combined with the numbers of overweight adults the percentage goes up to 68.6% – meaning only 1 in 3 people are actually in a healthy weight range.
Compared to 1960, the average American adult weights 24 pounds more today. High levels of obesity overburden an already-stressed healthcare system which now has to deal with higher levels of illness such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. For these reasons and more, the United States needs to do everything it can to curb the growing obesity epidemic. To find out which states are the worst offenders, check out this list of the 10 Most Obese States in the United States.
Note: All data has been derived from the State of Obesity most recent 2014 numbers, published in September 2015.
Cover Image: alancleaver via Flickr
10
North Carolina - 29.7%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: Wikipedia
North Carolina starts off our list of the fattest states in the USA with a whopping 29.7% obesity rate. Though at the bottom of our list, the state’s obesity rate has risen at an alarming speed, going from 12.3% in 1990 to 20.9% in 2000 to its current near-30%. Particularly troubling is that 15.4% of 2-to-4 year olds from low-income families are obese, making obesity a struggle for many Carolinians since infancy.
9
Alaska - 29.7%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: Wikipedia
It doesn’t come as a surprise to us that people who can rarely leave their house due to the cold would be some of the most obese in the country. Though Alaska had the third lowest rates of diabetes in the country, obesity-related cancers are expected to triple by 2030.
8
South Dakota - 29.8%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: Pixabay
Made up largely of German, Scandinavian, and Irish immigrants, South Dakota is one of the fattest states in America. A diet high in beef and grains has played a major role in the state’s decline since the foods are some of its primary agricultural products.
7
Missouri- 30.2%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: Wikimedia
Tied with the next two states, Missouri has some of the most relaxed tobacco and alcohol laws in the country. Combined with lack of exercise and poor diet, the unhealthy lifestyles of many Missourians means cases of heart disease will increase five fold over the next 15 years.
6
Pennsylvania - 30.2%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: Wikimedia
Pennsylvania has a magnificent food heritage, largely a result of the baking tradition of the Pennsylvania Dutch – who were actually Germans. The food most associated with Pennsylvania isn’t the healthiest; the state is the leader manufacturing of pretzels and potato chips and the center of American chocolate production.
5
Nebraska - 30.2%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: beatboxbadhabit via Flickr
Nebraska has one of the highest health disparities by education level in the country. As seen in other states, the more education a person has, the less likely they are to be obese. In Nebraska, 39% of people who had not finished high school were obese compared to 35% who had some college and 25% who graduated college.
4
Georgia - 30.5%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: Wikipedia
Perhaps due to the state’s strong history of farming, Georgians eat more vegetables than many other states. But, the often unhealthy cooking techniques counter out the benefits. In 2014, Georgians again decreased their amount of daily exercise, ranking 41st among states with citizens who regularly exercise.
3
Michigan - 30.7%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: Pixabay
Tied with #17 for obesity rates, Michigan has the 12th highest rate of physical inactivity in the country. Across all states, obesity doesn’t affect everyone equally – there’s a severe and noticeable racial divide. Research by the State of Obesity found that, compared to whites, black children see twice the number of calories advertised in fast food commercials.
2
Delaware - 30.7%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: Pixabay
The racial divide is further seen in Delaware where 37% of blacks and 32% of Latinos are obese, compared with 28% of whites. Among adult women, 82% of black women are obese compared with 77% of Latino women and 63% of white women.
1
Iowa - 30.9%
Source: State of Obesity, Image: Wikipedia
Despite their high obesity levels, Iowans scored better on two other health metrics: physical inactivity level and hypertension, barely avoiding the top 25 worst states in the country. A high prevalence of binge drinking leads Iowans to put on empty calories that are hard to work off. A major agricultural producer, Iowa grew 19% of the US’s corn and 30% of its pigs.
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