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CalorieLab has just released a list of the fattest states in the country for 2006. Their research reveals that Mississippi is the fattest state, where approximately 29.5% of the population is obese based on a three year statistical average. If the statistics are extended to include the overweight population, as well as those who are obese, the results show that over 2/3 (67.3%) of the state's residents are either overweight or obese; Mississippi is the only state to have that dubious honor. Following close behind in the obesity count are Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana and Kentucky. Colorado is the leanest state, followed in no particular order by Hawaii, Montana and a handful of the New England states.
The data was gathered from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which reveals some very interesting information about some of the factors that contribute to obesity, such as diet, nutrition and physical activity levels. For example, only 16% of adults in Mississippi eat the recommended 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, compared to 29% in California and 30% in Vermont.
Fruit and vegetable intake is not going to turn the tide against obesity, especially considering that every state except one (Nevada) saw an increase in the percentage of the obese population over the last year. Diet does, however, play a large role in health and gradual changes in daily eating habits, as well as physical activity patterns, could change some of these numbers over time.
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8-15-2006 @9:46PM mark said... the south knows how to cook? lol. Wrong , they know how to eat, and too lazy to push themselves away from the table. Gim me anotha piece of dat fried chicken with all the grease, with some potatoes and dont forgit lotsa butta.
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8-15-2006 @9:46PM David E Tyre said... I feel these per centages are too low! Go to WalMart any evening and count the fat people shopping in the grocery section. Then, look at what they have in their cart. Mostly lots of high fat food, junk food, and soda pop. No wonder diabetes is so rampart in our population! I don't feel sorry for them. They are digging their grave with their teeth!
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8-15-2006 @9:47PM dan o. said... #20: Its not just that you might shorten your life- its diabetes, strokes, high blood pressure, knee replacements, hip replacements, back pain, foot pain, the inability to walk comfortably, shortness of breath with light exertion, sleep apnea, chest pains, liver problems, etc etc. You are right - I wouldn't want a longer life in that condition. There are a lot more choices than steak or rice cakes (I prefer the steak myself) Once your tastebuds are overloaded with fat, salt and sugar, its hard to appreciate the taste of anything else.
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8-15-2006 @9:48PM HENRY MCPEAK said... I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT MISSISSIPPI IS FULL OF FAT HEADS BUT THE FACT THAT IT IS FULL OF FAT ASSES IS NOT ANYTHING NEW.
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8-15-2006 @9:52PM Yummy Patty said... I'm surprised New York is not on the "Fattest State" list.
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8-15-2006 @9:56PM MG said... 1) Cardiovascular disease (which includes stroke), not cancer, is the leading killer of both men and women in this country.
2) Excess weight is associated with increased risk for heart disease.
3) In addition to increased risk of morbidity and death to the individual, this carries a price to society of increased costs for loss of productivity, insurance and health care, increased costs for "super-sizing" all manner of things as far-reaching as movie seats.
4) Largely (no pun intended), people seem oblivious or apathetic. A newspaper reporter, hearing my concerns about this subject, opined that I was prejudiced against people who were overweight and stopped speaking to me. (Thanks, Richard.)
5) What happened to the days when poor people were thin?
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8-15-2006 @9:59PM Deb said... I live in Alabama. I see people who need to lose weight, people who need to eat a little more, and those who according to the media are Just Right.
I would never judge another human according to their weight.
:)
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8-15-2006 @10:01PM melissa skalicky said... I'm relieved to see Indiana has dropped to #9. We have regretably worn the first place crown on a number of occasions in a number of surveys. Hopefully, we'll continue to work on educating our population about healthy eating habits and the benefits of exercise. It's not how long we live, but how well we live. With diabetes, heart disease, orthopaedic complications, and renal failure on the rise, the challenge to defeat these diseases by making healthy choices is very important.
Indiana has been focusing on beating the "brain drain", ie a concerted effort to encourage educated talent to stay in Indiana after they complete their college education. Hopefully, one of the benefits of that, is that they are swaying the populace to take better care of themselves.
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8-15-2006 @10:01PM Sarah said... The Southern states are the Bible Belt,Baptists love to eat good southern cooking.Theres nothin compared to fellowshipping with your church, with fried chicken,okra,mashed taters and gravy and a whole lotta homemade ice cream with all the toppings!Yum yum,We my be pudgie,but we love Jesus and we enjoy His blessings...even fried.
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8-15-2006 @10:01PM Tennessee William said... It's all about football. Biggest guys = best offensive line. With a population of 26.5% fat folks, Tennessee has a good shot at the National Championship, that is if Mississippi doesn't win it. Mississippi State has had the biggest offensive line for years, so that proves I am right.
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8-15-2006 @10:01PM Montanan in exile said... If people would actually read, the order of the leanest is Colorado and the rest are "in no particular order". I too am a bit puzzled by the intermountain states; they are meat and potatoes states but there is also healthy air, lower stress and probably more outdoor activity.
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8-15-2006 @10:01PM Terri said... Regarding children being overweight, we've overlooked another area. Kids have TV, Gameboys, Computers etc etc....back in the 60's we made our own fun. We were always on the go from sun up to sun down. Lack of exercise just compounds the diet's. Just like I should get off this computer & get on the treadmill :)
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8-15-2006 @10:02PM Eudie said... Poor states = poor nutrition. The average income in the bottom five states is ridiculously low, and those of us who live in those poorer states can't afford the high prices of good quality food. So we either get fat or starve. I'm a college educated woman with a good job for my area, but what I take home would make most of you laugh. I wouldn't make enough in a month to cover your rent. So we cut back on food. I can buy burgers and fries for a family of four for well under $10. Or I can take that same $10 and buy one of us a nutritious meal. So who gets to eat today????
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8-15-2006 @10:02PM Isabella said... I come from the Mississippi Gulf Coast and all I can say is that they are generally healthy. They should break down what parts of the state are unhealthy. We dine on broiled seafood and fresh vegetables from the famers' market. Granted there are a lot of types of seafood that are fried, but in any state, self control and moderation are key elements to ones weight.
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8-15-2006 @10:03PM Brian said... Perhaps the 50%+ of our budget which is spent on the military would be better served as education her at home?
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8-15-2006 @10:04PM barbara carpenter said... Illinois also has its share of obese, some extremely obese, citizens. My CA brother-in-law equates obesity with lack of higher education, but his reasoning is flawed by the number of obese health care people...doctors and nurses, even diaticians! The diatitian who gave me a guidline for diabetics food intake must have weighed over three hundred pounds........
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8-15-2006 @10:05PM Jeff said... #20 ! You got the best idea of all! Be Happy
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8-15-2006 @10:05PM Charlie See said... I am really cracking up at the ignorance of some of these comments . Besides the fact that Jerry believes that the minorities of a darker shade dont eat healthy , and that minorities of eastern desent eat better . We do have to realize that its a survey taken by a few people who only had several people from these states as control variables . Here in the south yes we eat hardy and we also workout just as much as anybody else .I want to know just how many people were tested in every state .....
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8-15-2006 @10:05PM Amber Waters said... I really don't think anyone cares about the obesity rate in states they don't live in. I don't even care about the obesity rate in the state I live in. People are over weight in every part of the world. It's a fact of life. Putting statistics on the internet is not gonna change that. als
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8-15-2006 @10:06PM heather said... if you can walk, you can loose...theres so much info available to ppl on how to loose weight and it can work...find what can work for you and devote the time and lets get those numbers lower..life is too short to suffer
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