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New Map Of The Most Obese States Shows A Troubling Trend

Lauren F FriedmanSep 4, 2014, 21:26 IST

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new map on Thursday detailing adult obesity rates across the country. In 1995, when the CDC first collected this data in all states, not a single one had an obesity rate higher than 19%.

In 2013, the CDC announced, every single state in the country had an obesity rate of at least 20%. (The agency's data collection strategies have changed over time, but the trend is still clear.) Here is the new map showing that grim picture:

Rates of obesity were highest in Mississippi (35.1%) and West Virginia (35.1%) and lowest in Hawaii (21.8%) and Colorado (21.3%).

Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. A person who is 5'10" would need to weigh at least 209 pounds to be classified as obese. (You can check your BMI here.)