Fattest state in America

Living Large in the U.S.A. Are Americans fatter than ever before? Even as companies may be tightening their proverbial belts during difficult economic times, Americans may be expanding their own waistlines.
A recent report by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), revealed that American adult obesity rates grew in 28 U.S. states in the past 12 months. Adult obesity rankings exceeded 25 percent in 38 U.S. states, according to the study, titled F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010.
Only Washington, D.C., dropped its adult obesity rankings in the past year.
On the other hand, eight U.S. states now boast adult obesity rates surpassing 30 percent, compared to four such states a year ago, according to Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation (RWJF) research.
What is obesity?
Obesity is a commonly used term to indicate the state of being overweight. However, in medical and research contexts, obesity refers to a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. The body mass index (BMI) is a calculation based on an individual's weight and height ratios.
Which U.S. states have the highest obesity rates among adults?
Here are the top ten fattest U.S. states (listed in ascending order), based on adult obesity findings:
-- Michigan and North Carolina are tied for 10th place for adult obesity, with 29.4 percent statewide adult obesity.
-- South Carolina tips the scales at 9th place for adult obesity, with 29.9 percent statewide adult obesity.
-- Arkansas is in 8th place for adult obesity, with 30.1 percent statewide adult obesity.
-- Kentucky takes 7th place for adult obesity, with 30.5 percent statewide adult obesity.
-- Oklahoma grabs 6th place for adult obesity, with 30.6 percent statewide adult obesity.
-- Louisiana hogs 5th place for adult obesity, with 31.2 percent statewide adult obesity.
-- West Virginia snatches 4th place for adult obesity, with 31.3 percent statewide adult obesity.
-- Alabama and Tennessee share 2rd place for adult obesity, with 31.5 percent statewide adult obesity.
-- Mississippi gobbles up 1st place for adult obesity, with 33.8 percent statewide adult obesity.
Which U.S. states have the highest obesity rates among young people?
Here are the top ten fattest U.S. states (listed in ascending order), based on obesity findings among 10- to 17-year-old individuals:
-- West Virginia takes 10th place for youth obesity, with 18.9 percent statewide youth obesity.
-- Washington, D.C., grabs 9th place for youth obesity, with 20.1 percent statewide youth obesity.
-- Arkansas and Texas share 7th place for youth obesity, with 20.4 percent statewide youth obesity.
-- Tennessee gobbles 6th place for youth obesity, with 20.6 percent statewide youth obesity.
-- Illinois and Louisiana are tied for 4th place for youth obesity, with 20.7 percent statewide youth obesity.
-- Kentucky swallows 3rd place for youth obesity, with 21.0 percent statewide youth obesity.
-- Georgia nips up 2nd place for youth obesity, with 21.3 percent statewide youth obesity.
-- Mississippi puts away 1st place for youth obesity, with 21.9 percent statewide youth obesity.
Is obesity a problem in the United States?
"Obesity is one of the biggest public health challenges the country has ever faced, and troubling disparities exist based on race, ethnicity, region, and income," said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, executive director of the Trust for America's Health (TFAH). (Jeffrey Levi is a professor of health policy at George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.)
"This report shows that the country has taken bold steps to address the obesity crisis in recent years, but the nation's response has yet to fully match the magnitude of the problem," Dr. Jeffrey Levi continued. "Millions of Americans still face barriers - like the high cost of healthy foods and lack of access to safe places to be physically active - that make healthy choices challenging."
Obesity among younger folks appears to be a compounding health concern as well.
"Obesity rates among the current generation of young people are unacceptably high and a very serious problem," said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) president and CEO. "To reverse this national epidemic, we have to make every community a healthy community. Americans are increasingly ready and willing to make that investment."
Sources:
http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2010
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi
http://www.diabetescenters.org
http://www.fittothefinish.com
http://www.medicinenet.com
http://www.rwjf.org