Here’s a list we’re glad we didn’t make: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranked the states with the highest adult obesity rates in the country.
The recently released report on the current state of adult obesity in the US found that more than one-third of US adults and 17 percent of youth are obese. Of the 12 states with the country’s highest rates, Mississippi landed the heavyweight belt at 34.9 percent.
The somewhat good news is that there was no change in the prevalence of obesity from 2007 to 2008 and 2009 to 2010. That also means, though, that the country is still struggling to reduce the high rates, an effort many find worth pursuing, since medical costs related to obesity cost $147 billion in 2008.
While the South had the highest prevalence of obesity, at 29.5 percent, the West has the least obese adults and children, with a rate of 24.3 percent. Colorado, for example, had the lowest obesity prevalence at 20.7 percent.
DC, Maryland, and Virginia all escaped the top 12 list, fortunately. Their rates are 23.7 percent, 28.3 percent, and 29.2 percent, respectively. Still, the report shows that our waistlines are steadily expanding: Since 2010, all the area’s obesity rates increased by a few points.
The following states have the highest obesity rates in the country:
1) Mississippi, 34.9 percent
2) Louisiana, 33.4 percent
3) West Virginia, 32.4 percent
4) Alabama. 32 percent
5) Michigan, 31.3 percent
6) Oklahoma. 31.1 percent
7) Arkansas, 30.9 percent
8) South Carolina and Indiana, 30.8 percent
9) Kentucky and Texas, 30.4 percent
10) Missouri, 30.3 percent
Also noteworthy: Among non-Hispanic black and Mexican-American men, those with higher incomes were more likely to be obese than those with low income. However, higher-income women were less likely to be obese than low-income women. Women with college degrees were also less likely to be obese than women with less education.
The full report is available at the CDC’s website.