The Most Obese States In America [MAP]
In spite of recent news that obesity among young children is declining, obesity across the country is still on the rise. But a new analysis from Gallup shows that while the average rate of obesity in the U.S. is 27.1% - up from 25.5% in 2008 - there is considerable variation among the states.
In 2013, the most obese state in the country was Mississippi, where 35.4% of residents were obese. Mississippi inched ahead of West Virginia, which had the highest rate of obesity between 2010 and 2012.
The least obese state was Montana, where 19.6% of residents were obese. Between 2010 and 2012, the least obese state was Colorado, which still has the second-lowest rate of obesity (20.4%).
Gallup also found that the rates of chronic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes were higher in the states where obesity was more prevalent. People in the least obese states, meanwhile, were more likely to report healthy eating and exercise habits.
Here are the states that had the highest and lowest rates of obesity:
