No one likes to hear negative stereotypes about their homeland, but what if it is true? For Americans, the common stereotype is that we are all on the heavy side. This is not true for every single person in the United States of America, but you might be surprised when you hear the actual numbers. We are here to talk about the states with the highest rate of obesity! A word of warning, this might come as a shock to you. How far up the list do you think your home state is? The only thing to do is to read on!
Here Are The Fattest States Based On The Obesity Rate
Pennsylvania – 31.6% Obesity Rate
Who doesn’t like the greasy sandwiches that this state is known for? It is hard not to wonder whether the cheesesteak shops have anything to do with its high obesity rate. Georgia might be tied with Pennsylvania, but it is sad to hear that kids in this state fare even worse. The Keystone State has the 9th highest rate of childhood obesity in the country. Let us hope that they get things under control soon.
Pennsylvania – 31.6% Obesity Rate
Georgia – 31.6% Obesity Rate
The truth is that Georgia was doing significantly better in 2012. Back then, it was only 28 percent. That is still bad, but it is a lot better than the 31.6 percent obesity rate in 2019. Did the residents enjoy one too many peach cakes and pies? We just don’t know. In terms of her childhood obesity rate, it is 18th on that list. This is still pretty bad. We are worried about the children who are ten to seventeen years old!
Georgia – 31.6% Obesity Rate
Delaware – 31.8% Obesity Rate
The state health and human services division reported that 39.7 percent of Delawareans fall within the recommended BMI. On top of that, a third of those 18 to 25 years old are overweight. There seems to be a trend that says people tend to be more obese as they age. As a matter of fact, 56 percent of people aged 25 to 34 are overweight. The figure is 68 percent for those who are 45 to 64 years old. For adults, the overall obesity rate is 58.6 percent. This is a worrying figure, so hopefully, they solve the crisis soon.
Delaware – 31.8% Obesity Rate
South Dakota – 31.9% Obesity Rate
Only four years ago, 29.6 percent of South Dakotans were considered obese. The trend did not go down but instead rose to 31.9 percent within the past few years. It is interesting to hear about the groups of people that see a higher rate of obesity. This would be American Indians, high school diploma or GED holders, and people bringing home an annual income of $25,000 to $34,999. The concerning truth is that Native American reservations have the highest obesity rates in the United States.
South Dakota – 31.9% Obesity Rate
Wisconsin – 32% Obesity Rate
Which state comes to mind when someone brings up cheese? We bet that the answer to that question is Wisconsin! Even though it is faring pretty badly with its obesity rate, we are glad that it is on the low side for kids. The School of Public Health at the University of Wisconsin has been trying to solve the obesity problem in the state. It found out that some areas are four times likelier to be overweight!
Wisconsin – 32% Obesity Rate
North Carolina – 32.1% Obesity Rate
This state is the land of pimento cheese, shrimp and grits, and a Carolina barbecue! On top of that, this is also where Krispy Kreme Donuts got its start. Without a shadow of a doubt, North Carolina has a lot of delicious food. Unfortunately, it also comes with a high rate of obesity. We are starting to think that those things go hand in hand. We wonder if the state is doing anything to bring it down.
North Carolina – 32.1% Obesity Rate
Michigan – 32.3% Obesity Rate
It is shocking and worrying to hear that nearly a third of the people in Michigan suffer from obesity. On the one hand, this is good news since it is lower than the year before that. Even so, it is still incredibly high. It is not good that 18.9 percent of kids aged 10 to 17 years old are obese. Some data suggests that obesity pandemic can be linked to the low rates of high school graduation in the state! Researchers believe that people who have a lower level of education are at a higher risk for obesity.
Michigan – 32.3% Obesity Rate
Kansas – 32.4% Obesity Rate
Where do you think things like “loose meat sandwich,” “lefse,” “bierocks,” and “zwiebach” come from? You were wrong if you thought it was a different country! These things are part of Kansan cuisine, and they also happen to be pretty unhealthy dishes. According to the Kansas Health Foundations, there was a sharp rise in obesity in the state from 2014 to 2015. Things have not yet improved either. The trend has already leveled, so we hope that this is only the beginning of the end.
Kansas – 32.4% Obesity Rate
Missouri – 32.5% Obesity Rate
There are so many delicious things to eat in Missouri! Toasted ravioli is probably the most famous dish in the local cuisine. This American version of the Italian dish was invented in St. Louis! Like the other food items that we have listed, it is not the best thing for your health either. Could this be the reason behind the high obesity rate in the state? We are sad to report that 32.5 percent of the population happens to be obese.
Missouri – 32.5% Obesity Rate
Tennessee – 32.8% Obesity Rate
The truth is that fried food is a hit in Tennessee. If you go there, you can find things like fried pickles, fried catfish, sweet potato fries, and fried chicken on the menus. On top of that, you should expect them to be served with cornbread, country ham, barbecue, and other things that are bad for your health. If it sounds indulgent, that is because it really is. We wonder if it is to be blamed for the obesity rate.
Tennessee – 32.8% Obesity Rate
Nebraska – 32.8% Obesity Rate
We doubt that you know anything about Nebraskan cuisine unless you are from there! It is actually pretty sad that Americans are not very familiar with the state. Most of them just know that it has a lot of corn and farmlands. The government is aware that obesity is a problem, but its efforts to fix it have not worked. The state government once wanted to tax soda beverages and candies in an attempt to curb it. It has yet to be passed, however. The new strategy is now to serve healthier food in schools!
Nebraska – 32.8% Obesity Rate
Texas – 33% Obesity Rate
They say that everything is bigger in Texas. It looks like this also applies to the waistlines of its residents. It is devastating to hear that one in three adults in the Lone Star State is obese. The number, of course, is even higher when we count the overweight people. The CDC has said that up to 65.9 percent of residents have a higher than recommended BMI. On top of that, it concerns that 27.3 percent of the locals claim not to have engaged in physical activity in the past month.
Texas – 33% Obesity Rate
North Dakota – 33.2% Obesity Rate
Did you know that all the states had an obesity rate of 15 percent or less in 1985? This is no longer the case. We are sad to report that the obesity rate in North Dakota is now at 33.2 percent. As a matter of fact, 71 percent of the locals are overweight or obese! Data shows that people living in rural areas are fatter than those in urban areas. Heavier people tend to suffer from diabetes and high blood pressure.
North Dakota – 33.2% Obesity Rate
Indiana – 33.6% Obesity Rate
In reality, the obesity rate in Indiana has been pretty stable over the years. In 2013, it saw an obesity rate of 31 percent, which is not significantly different from its current figure: 33.6 percent. Things could be worse, but they could be better too. The health director of Trust for America shared, “The state really needs to step back and say ‘what can we do more of, what evidence-based programs do we need to put in place, and what is a more comprehensive approach to obesity prevention that we need to embrace?’”
Indiana – 33.6% Obesity Rate
Ohio – 33.8% Obesity Rate
The kids, apparently, are not all right. Things look bad in Ohio since one in six children aged 10 to 17 is obese. It is bad enough on its own, but the truth is that one in seven kids in the United States is suffering from obesity. The state has said that it is “optimistic” that it will be able to “turn the tide around.” That is what the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said. It dipped in 2016, but it has since gone up again.
Ohio – 33.8% Obesity Rate
South Carolina – 34.1% Obesity Rate
Did you know that South Carolina also has great food? This place is known for its she-crab soup, pecan pies, fried okra, rich grits, and collard greens. We know that they all sound delicious, but locals should probably avoid eating these things far too often. The state is one of the heaviest states in the United States, after all. We are pretty sure that no one is proud to be in the top ten spots of a list like that.
South Carolina – 34.1% Obesity Rate
Alaska – 34.2% Obesity Rate
It is horrible to hear that the obesity rate among adults in Alaska has doubled and more since 1991. In those days, only 13 percent of Alaskans are considered obese. Can you believe that it is now 34.2 percent? We are concerned as well. According to state officials, they emphasized healthy food early on. People believe that the rising rates have to do with the limited and expensive food in the state.
Alaska – 34.2% Obesity Rate
Kentucky – 34.3% Obesity Rate
We all know that Kentucky is the place to be if you love fried chicken. From 2016 to 2017, it was in second place in terms of obesity among teens and children. In 2018, records showed that 37 percent of the residents were obese. The horrible records have been attributed to the lack of accessible healthy food. A study revealed that the state was 43rd when it came to the availability of nutritious food items.
Kentucky – 34.3% Obesity Rate
Arkansas – 35% Obesity Rate
If you ever find yourself in Arkansas, get ready to eat a lot of high-protein and high-fat food. Communal eating is big here, especially when there is fish, meat, and chicken on the menu. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out why there is a high obesity rate in the Natural State. Obesity is the most preventable health issue in this part of the country. Experts claim that a lot of Southern states made it to the list because fried food is a staple food. On top of that, the uneven wealth distribution in rural areas does not help.
Arkansas – 35% Obesity Rate
Louisiana – 36.2% Obesity Rate
We simply adore just how colorful the culinary scene in Louisiana is. Locals are probably proud of their spicy jambalaya, rich gumbo, po’boy sandwiches, beignets, pralines, and crawfish. Unfortunately, the young people in the state have it bad. We think that it is heartbreaking that 13.2 percent of children aged two to four are obese. For those in high school, the number is 17 percent. This issue seems to affect the African-American community the most, although the Latino community is hit by it too.
Louisiana – 36.2% Obesity Rate
Alabama – 36.3% Obesity Rate
The state famous for the chicken fried steak made it to the top five most obese in the country. Alabama has an obesity rate of 36.3 percent, which is already bad. However, the number actually rises to 69 percent when you include overweight locals as well. According to a study by the CDC, 31 percent of the locals did not perform any physical activities in the past month. This needs to change!
Alabama – 36.3% Obesity Rate
Iowa – 36.4% Obesity Rate
When election season rolls in, presidential candidates visit different states and try to charm the voters. In Iowa, the state fair is the place to be! Aside from politicians, you will also find the local food items there. This is going to be a hunger-inducing list. You might want to try their butter cake shakes, fried avocados, bacon balls, corn dogs, bacon-wrapped chicken wings, and caramel-dipped pecan pies. With food like that, we can see why there is a worrying obesity rate of 36.4 percent.
Iowa – 36.4% Obesity Rate
Oklahoma – 36.5% Obesity Rate
It is actually unfortunate that 18 percent of Oklahomans aged ten to seventeen deal with obesity. The state has the sixth fattest kids across the United States. In the past three decades, this figure more than doubled when it came to children who are six to eleven years old. It has, on the other hand, quadrupled among kids between twelve and nineteen years old. Experts have attributed the high obesity rate to the consumption of sports drinks, sodas, and energy drinks among the locals.
Oklahoma – 36.5% Obesity Rate
Mississippi – 37.3% Obesity Rate
There are times when we crave good old Mississippian food like blue crab and mud pie. The food might be delicious, but the state has one of the highest obesity rates in the country. As a matter of fact, it is only second to one other state! It has reached such a high spot on our list because 37.3 percent of adult residents are obese. Can you believe that more than a million and a half people in Mississippi are overweight or obese? This sounds like public health is in dire straits in the Magnolia State.
Mississippi – 37.3% Obesity Rate
West Virginia – 38.1% Obesity Rate
And now, we have the fattest state in the country: West Virginia. With an obesity rate of 38.1 percent, it is doing worse than all the other states. According to the Health and Human Services division of the state, this is “one of the most serious public health concerns facing [the] state today.” Authorities claim that obesity caused preventable medical costs of anywhere between $1.4 to $1.8 billion. This is also bad news for employers since they lost $506 per obese worker a year due to lower productivity rates.
West Virginia – 38.1% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Maryland – 31.3% Obesity Rate
It is time for us to discuss the honorable mentions. Maryland is known for its “all you can eat” crab promos. Sorry, folks, but you might want to stop taking advantage of these deals. After all, the situation is getting terrible. The Department of Health of the state claims that 45 percent of locals suffer from high blood pressure. Meanwhile, 23 percent suffer from diabetes, and 47 percent have high cholesterol.
Honorable Mention Maryland – 31.3% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Illinois – 31.1% Obesity Rate
Illinois is the place to be when you want a horseshoe sandwich. Known as the unofficial state meal, it came from Springfield, Illinois. If you want to visualize it, think of a thick slice of bread with either a burger patty or roast beef slices inside and French fries or hash browns on the side. It won’t be the same if you don’t pour sausage gravy all over it. The dish might be delicious, but it does not sound healthy!
Honorable Mention Illinois – 31.1% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Virginia – 30.1% Obesity Rate
In reality, Virginia has been dealing with this problem for some time now. The Center for Disease Control even gave the Mother of States more than $375,000 to improve healthy food access and encourage people to engage in physical activity. We have not seen a lot of improvements from these efforts just yet. The state is faring better than half the country, but things might change if it doesn’t improve soon.
Honorable Mention Virginia – 30.1% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Rhode Island – 30% Obesity Rate
It is not really an island, but this did not stop Rhode Island from having the best seafood. This is not a problem in itself, but all the battered and fried stuff is. It is fine to treat yourself to fish, oyster, and calamari, but you should not indulge in these things too often no matter how delicious they are. According to data from the World Population Review, 30 percent of locals here suffer from obesity.
Honorable Mention Rhode Island – 30% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Arizona – 29.5% Obesity Rate
In Arizona, 29.5 percent of the population is obese. This is actually an improvement from the past since the number has at least plateaued by now. The state government deserves credit for this, but we hope that they can also bring it down. There is a lot of Mexican influence in the local cuisine, and the local food is delicious. It might be the reason the number has yet to really go down.
Honorable Mention Arizona – 29.5% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Oregon – 29.4% Obesity Rate
Oregon has a lot going for it when it comes to the great outdoors. This might be the reason it is shocking to hear that its obesity rate is higher than its neighboring states in the Pacific Northwest. While the state government has been trying to stop the rise of the curve, it could do even more than this. The state’s health promotion manager issued the following statement about the issue in question: “We’ve been able to stay pretty flat which was our intention given the resources that we have to address obesity.”
Honorable Mention Oregon – 29.4% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Idaho – 29.3% Obesity Rate
There is one fruit that Idaho is especially known for: the huckleberry! This purple berry goes well in a lot of things: ice cream, cheesecake, syrup. People are now discovering just how delicious and versatile it is. There are plenty of hidden family-owned farms in the state, but the sugar might be responsible for its high obesity rate. At the moment, the Gem State has an obesity rate of 29.3 percent.
Honorable Mention Idaho – 29.3% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Maine – 29.1% Obesity Rate
Maine is the biggest state in New England, but it is one of the fattest ones as well. The Pine Tree State has an obesity rate of 29.1 percent. Here is a theory that a medical expert proposed to NBC News: “Fresh fruit and produce are not easy to find in Maine. We’re a rural state, parts of Maine have low-income populations, so we know that in a rural state, many people don’t have access.”
Honorable Mention Maine – 29.1% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Wyoming – 28.8% Obesity Rate
You can feast on lamb, elk, chicken-fried steak, sausage gravy, and bison burgers as much as you want in Wyoming. It does not mean that you should have it daily, however. Fun fact: there are 11,500 farms and ranches across the Cowboy State. Do you think it has something to do with the 28.8 percent obesity rate over there? Maybe. This is still pretty high, but it is at least faring better than others.
Honorable Mention Wyoming – 28.8% Obesity Rate
Honorable Mention: Florida – 28.4% Obesity Rate
We doubt that people will stop cracking jokes at the expense of the Sunshine State. But the truth is that it has the last laugh when it comes to obesity. At 28.4 percent, it is faring better than 34 other states. The Florida Department of Health is still working on bringing it down further. Among others, it promotes exercise, offers healthy options on a budget, and encourages initiatives from schools and workplaces.
Honorable Mention Florida – 28.4% Obesity Rate
Colorado – 22.6% Obesity Rate
You should rejoice if you are from Colorado. After all, the state has the lowest obesity rate among the fifty states in the country! Around 23 percent of adults in the Centennial State are obese. Sadly, the number is on the rise. People who are anywhere from 45 to 64 years old have a higher chance of being obese. The state is trying to bring down the numbers by passing related laws and raising awareness.
Colorado 22.6% Obesity Rate
District of Columbia – 23% Obesity Rate
According to a survey done, there was a 1.9% decrease in obesity in District residents in 2012 – compared to 2011. It’s most common among adults aged 40-64 in the district of Columbia. All the same, this district ranks the second-lowest rate of obesity in the United States, just higher than Colorado. In children, 17.8% were overweight in the district of Columbia, while 17.7% were obese. Surveys done showed that their nutrition was lacking and that they didn’t do enough physical activity.
District Of Columbia 23% Obesity Rate
Hawaii – 23.8% Obesity Rate
While Hawaii is on the lower end of the obesity scale in the country, this might not be true for much longer for a couple of reasons. The people in the Aloha State do not exercise as much as they should. In fact, 23.5 percent of the locals say that they do not engage in physical activity! On top of that, 37 percent of Hawaiians say that they do not eat fruits and instead go for unhealthy items daily.
Hawaii 23.8% Obesity Rate
California – 25.1% Obesity Rate
When it comes to obesity, California is doing pretty well. It is the fourth slimmest state in the nation. Even so, it is still pretty bad that one in four people is obese. Those who are 18 to 25 years old see an obesity rate of 12.7 percent. This number is 24 percent for people aged 26 to 44. It is higher for people between 45 to 64 years old at 31 percent and even more so for people over the age of 65 at 24.4 percent. Even though there are plenty of problems in the state, the obesity rate is not one of them.
California 25.1% Obesity Rate
Montana – 25.3% Obesity Rate
By 2019, Montana had one of the lowest obesity rates in the country. You can even call it the 6th slimmest state in the nation. Around a quarter of the residents happen to be obese. This can be taken as proof that its programs to promote unprocessed and healthy food in hospitals and schools have worked! We are glad to hear that the state government is still trying to improve the health of the locals.
Montana 25.3% Obesity Rate
Utah – 25.3% Obesity Rate
Even though the obesity rate in Utah is lower than most states, it can still be much lower. The people in the Beehive State are pretty healthy, but it looks like they are gaining weight steadily as well. According to the “State of Obesity” report by the Trust for America’s Health, this is just happening at a slower rate than the other parts of the country. The numbers seem grim because they indicate that the problem is still going to be worse in the future.
Utah 25.3% Obesity Rate
Connecticut – 29.1% Obesity Rate
By now, you have probably figured out all for yourself that obesity is a real problem in the United States. This affects nearly one in three American adults! In Connecticut, 21.6 percent of the population claimed that they had not exercised in the previous month. This is bad, but we are glad to learn that 28.5 percent of adults claimed to eat veggies three or more times in a day. We hope that others do the same thing!
Connecticut 29.1% Obesity Rate
Guam – 33.6%
More than 30 percent of the locals in Guam are obese. The obesity rate of the island has only been going up over the past couple of years. This sounds rather ominous to us. Did you know that 60 percent or so deaths in the territory are caused by chronic diseases? They are linked to poor diet patterns and lifestyle! With this in mind, it can’t be good that the average weight of the island continues to go up.
Guam 33.6%
Massachusetts – 25.2% Obesity Rate
From 2015 to 2016, Massachusetts saw a slight decline in the obesity rate among adults. This has made people feel more hopeful about the state of things. Even so, 25.2 percent of the population is obese! While it is lower than others, it is still a serious issue. The state, luckily, has been working towards fixing the problem at hand. They promote drinking water, eating healthy food, exercise, and better nutrition.
Massachusetts 25.2% Obesity Rate
Minnesota – 30.1% Obesity Rate
In Minnesota, the obesity rate among adults has stayed pretty much the same from 2018 to 2019. This does not mean that it is good, however. The Department of Health said that there is an obesity rate of 30.1 percent in the North Star State. It is still pretty much, but it is at least lower than the average in the United States. Its neighbors North Dakota and South Dakota are also faring poorer than it.
Minnesota 30.1% Obesity Rate
Nebraska – 34.1% Obesity Rate
It has a pretty high obesity rate at 34.1 percent, but the number has been going up for a few years now. People in Nebraska seem to be growing wider and wider! There was a steady increase in obesity rates between 2013 and 2018. More than a third of the residents are now considered obese. They probably need major changes because isolated programs advocating for lifestyle change isn’t doing the trick.
Nebraska 34.1% Obesity Rate
Nevada – 30.6% Obesity Rate
We are sad to say that people in the Silver State have been getting fatter as well. The numbers have been steadily increasing over the years. This might explain the rising cases of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Even though policies are now being put in place to combat obesity, the population has not seen their effects just yet. The only silver lining thus far is that the state has higher nutritional standards when it comes to the school lunches of children.
Nevada 30.6% Obesity Rate
New Hampshire – 31.8% Obesity Rate
Almost two in three adults in New Hampshire are overweight or obese! The same goes for around one in four kids in the Granite State. We are at least glad that the number has not really gone up in the last five years or so. The government needs to act on the issue, together with the residents themselves and the food industry. We are at least glad to hear that no more than 9 percent of adults have diabetes or other obesity-related conditions in the state.
New Hampshire 31.8% Obesity Rate
New Jersey – 27.7% Obesity Rate
In terms of obesity, the Garden State is doing better than other states. However, this does not mean that it is faring very well, either. The people of New Jersey are getting heavier as time passes by. The state, fortunately, has been taking it seriously and working towards fixing the issue. In 2020, the government started an initiative to improve the overall health of the residents. Called ‘Healthy New Jersey 2020,’ it has a couple of health objectives that aim to encourage a healthy lifestyle among locals.
New Jersey – 27.7% Obesity Rate
New Mexico – 31.7% Obesity Rate
There was a time when New Mexico had been doing very well, but things have since regressed. In 2000, there was no state with an obesity rate of more than 25 percent. Sadly, this would now be considered low. As of 2020, one in four American adults is obese or overweight. The Land of Enchantment currently has an obesity rate of 31.7 percent. It is a good thing that the state is working on bringing down the obesity rate, especially among the younger members of the population.
New Mexico 31.7% Obesity Rate
New York – 27.1% Obesity Rate
Sadly, obesity has since become an epidemic in New York as well. More than half of New Yorkers are overweight or obese. According to the data, people tend to be on the heavier side when they are still young. Nearly half of the kids in elementary school have an unhealthy weight. One in five children in a kindergarten in New York City suffers from obesity! We hope that this is addressed soon. After all, they will have a higher risk of developing conditions such as stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes!
New York 27.1% Obesity Rate
North Carolina – 34% Obesity Rate
With such a high rate of obesity, we can’t help but feel concerned for the people living in North Carolina. The state seems to know that it is a problem and works to find a solution to it. In 2016, the government started an initiative called the State Public Health Actions program. It came intending to bring down the obesity rates among North Carolinians by introducing more physical activity to their daily routines.
North Carolina 34% Obesity Rate
Puerto Rico – 32.5% Obesity Rate
A lot of Americans might not be familiar with Puerto Rico, but it is still US territory! And like the rest of the country, it also sees high obesity rates. Ethnicity seems to play a factor in the issue as well. Studies considered various things when it comes to digging deeper into the matter. People who did not have a high school degree or a GED had a higher likelihood of being overweight.
Puerto Rico 32.5% Obesity Rate
Vermont – 26.6% Obesity Rate
In reality, Vermont is faring a lot better than most states at the moment. Even so, it looks like the bar is so low that we consider it good to have an obesity rate of 26.6 percent. From 2013 to 2014, the obesity rate in the Green Mountain State hardly changed. These days, one in four people in Vermont is obese and suffer conditions related to it. Even though it is lower than the rest of the states, it could be better.
Vermont 26.6% Obesity Rate
Washington – 28.3% Obesity Rate
Even though Washington still has a high obesity rate among adults, it is at least working on fixing this issue. We wonder if locals are proud that they have a lower obesity rate than the national average. On top of that, only 11.9 percent of kids who are aged ten to seventeen suffer from obesity. However, hypertension and diabetes rates are still in the middle. Hopefully, this is only the beginning for the Evergreen State!
Washington 28.3% Obesity Rate