Which American States Are The Fattest?

According to a recent governmental survey analysed in a CDC report, Mississippi is still the most obese area of the United States. It has been noted for the highest rates of overweight since the year 2004. The Southern states of Tennessee and Alabama closely follow the Mississippi lead. Next in line are Louisiana and West Virginia.

Statisticians of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that over 30 percent of people in the “fattest” three US states are obese, with a large percentage of the population suffering from obesity-related conditions or diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Obesity is diagnosed in those individuals who have the body mass index, or BMI, of 30 and more.

The state of Colorado is the slimmest region, with only 19 percent of the population being severely overweight.

Researchers link high rates of overweight in the Southern states to their traditionally heavy diet of meats, fatty meals, and fried foods. Dr. William Dietz, who works for the CDC nutrition division, says that the American South also has a high representation of rural and black populations – the groups with statistically the highest rates of overweight in the US.

Colorado is an area where hiking, biking and other types of outdoor exercise are extremely popular, which may account for its low obesity rates, explains Dr. Dietz.

The CDC report has been derived from the results of a random telephone questionnaire that was offered to 350,000 American residents. The survey researchers studied the reported height and weight of the respondents. Some correlations have been made to the stated results, since women typically tend to understate their weight, while men are likely to exaggerate their height parameters.

Dr. Dietz says that heavy people are often inclined to misjudge their real weight, probably due to the fact that they do not weigh themselves as often as their leaner counterparts.

According to the telephone study, about 26 percent of the total American population fell into an obese category. However, another study, during which CDC researchers were weighing respondents themselves, showed than the average US obesity rate now exceeds 34 percent of the population!

Kim Suffolk

Rimonabant