RebelAzn
Jul 22nd, 2008, 03:41 AM
I have little doubt America is one if not the fattest country on earth. I think it is getting worse. I am surprised Hawaii did not make it as the thinnest with many Asians living there. With McDs having an ongoing assault into the China market (I heard they want to open 15K more McDs there), you can see the effect on Chinese kids already. They are getting huge and not in a good way. Nothing earth shattering here, the south is the fattest with all the fried food.
http://calorielab.com/news/2008/07/02/fattest-states-2008/
Mississippi is the fattest state for 3rd straight year, Colorado still leanest, D.C. loses weight
For 2008 Mississippi has claimed the title of fattest state for the third consecutive year, while Colorado repeats as the leanest. Delaware rose the most places in the rankings over last year, while California dropped the most, according to a new analysis by CalorieLab, Inc.
Fattest States 2008
Most Obese States
West Virginia and Alabama remained as the second and third fattest states this year. The four states of Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, and Louisiana have obese populations that exceed 30 percent over a three-year average and two-thirds of the citizens of Mississippi and West Virginia were either overweight or obese by CDC standards in 2007.
Also not faring well this year was Delaware, which rose eight places to tie with North Dakota as the 21st fattest state, from last year’s 29th placing. Delaware’s 3-year obesity rate rose 2.4 percent.
Thinnest States
Colorado repeats as the slimmest state, despite a slight increase in obesity of 0.8 percent over three years. Last year Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado told CalorieLab, “[W]e’re not spared from the national obesity epidemic, and we must remain vigilant in order to guard against it. We’re doing all we can to encourage Coloradans — especially our kids — to take advantage of the natural resources our state offers in order to stay fit, healthy and happy.”
Hawaii enters the rankings for the first time in 2008 at number 50, the second slimmest state after Colorado. Hawaii had not conducted annual BMI surveys until 2005, so the required three years of data was not available until this year.
Last year California was the only state whose obesity rate held steady. This year it eaked up by 0.4 percent, but because of the overall increase in obesity nationwide California’s ranking dropped five places, from 36th fattest state to 41st fattest state.
The only state to get slimmer this year is not actually a state: the District of Columbia’s three-year obesity rate dropped by 0.1 percent.
Regional Obesity by State Trends
In general, states in the West and New England rank lowest in the fattest states rankings, while states in the South and the Rust Belt tend to rank highest.
CalorieLab computed the fattest state rankings for this year based on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rankings use a three-year average in order to smooth out statistical fluctuations.
Because of the overall increase in obesity, CalorieLab this year shifted the color coding used in its map one percentage point higher to maintain an approximately equal number of states per color. This means that this year’s map cannot be directly compared to last year’s and or any year prior to that. CalorieLab’s United States of Obesity 2008 map can be downloaded in various formats (small GIF, large GIF, SVG, EPS).
Map of 2008 Fattest States
The CalorieLab United States of Obesity Fattest States Ranking 2008 2007
Rank 2008
Rank State % Obese
2007 % Obese or
Overweight
2007 3-year
Obesity
Average % Obesity
Change Ranking
Change
1 1 Mississippi 32.6 68.1 31.6 1.0 0
2 2 West Virginia 30.3 68.0 30.6 0.9 0
3 3 Alabama 30.9 66.6 30.1 0.7 0
4 4 Louisiana 30.7 65.2 29.5 1.3 0
5 5 South Carolina 29.0 65.3 29.2 1.3 0
6 6 Tennessee 30.7 67.4 29.0 1.2 0
7 7 Kentucky 28.7 69.1 28.4 1.0 0
9 8 Oklahoma 28.8 65.1 28.1 1.3 1
8 Arkansas 29.3 65.6 28.1 1.1 0
9 10 Michigan 28.2 64.3 27.7 0.9 -1
9 11 Indiana 27.4 63.2 27.5 0.6 -2
14 12 Georgia 28.7 65.0 27.4 1.3 2
12 Missouri 28.2 63.3 27.4 1.1 0
16 14 Alaska 28.2 65.1 27.3 1.5 2
12 15 Texas 28.6 65.8 27.2 0.9 -3
17 16 North Carolina 28.7 64.6 27.1 1.5 1
15 17 Ohio 28.1 63.5 26.9 0.9 -2
18 18 Nebraska 26.5 64.7 26.5 1.1 0
20 19 Iowa 27.7 64.7 26.3 1.4 1
20 20 South Dakota 27.2 65.5 26.0 1.1 0
19 21 North Dakota 27.0 64.9 25.9 0.8 -2
29 Delaware 28.2 65.0 25.9 2.4 8
27 23 Kansas 27.7 63.8 25.8 1.5 4
23 24 Pennsylvania 27.8 62.7 25.7 1.2 -1
24 25 Virginia 26.3 62.9 25.5 1.1 -1
22 26 Wisconsin 25.3 62.3 25.4 0.7 -4
24 27 Illinois 25.6 63.0 25.3 0.9 -3
24 28 Maryland 26.3 62.7 25.2 0.8 -4
30 29 Oregon 26.3 62.0 25.0 1.7 1
28 30 Minnesota 26.0 62.0 24.8 1.1 -2
32 31 Idaho 25.1 63.1 24.6 1.4 1
31 32 Washington 25.9 62.1 24.5 1.2 -1
35 33 Wyoming 24.5 62.2 24.0 1.2 2
32 34 Maine 25.2 62.9 23.7 0.6 -2
37 35 Nevada 24.6 63.0 23.6 1.2 2
37 36 New York 25.5 61.9 23.5 1.1 1
37 New Hampshire 25.1 61.8 23.5 1.2 1
34 38 Florida 24.1 62.1 23.3 0.4 -4
43 Arizona 25.8 62.6 23.3 1.5 5
42 40 New Mexico 25.1 60.8 23.2 1.2 2
36 41 California 23.3 59.0 23.1 0.4 -5
40 42 New Jersey 24.1 62.3 22.9 0.7 -2
40 43 District of Columbia 22.2 55.3 22.1 -0.1 -3
44 44 Utah 22.4 58.0 21.8 0.7 0
45 45 Montana 22.6 61.8 21.7 1.0 0
46 46 Rhode Island 21.7 60.8 21.4 0.9 0
48 47 Vermont 21.9 58.8 21.1 1.1 1
49 48 Massachusetts 21.7 58.9 20.9 1.1 1
47 49 Connecticut 21.7 59.2 20.8 0.7 -2
N.A. 50 Hawaii 21.7 56.8 20.7 N.A. N.A.
50 51 Colorado 19.3 55.7 18.4 0.8 -1
Rankings were computed by CalorieLab based on a three-year average of state-by-state statistics for adult obesity percentages from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or over, overweight as a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9. 2004 BMI data was not collected in Hawaii, so a three-year obesity average could not be computed for the 2007 rankings.
http://calorielab.com/news/2008/07/02/fattest-states-2008/
Mississippi is the fattest state for 3rd straight year, Colorado still leanest, D.C. loses weight
For 2008 Mississippi has claimed the title of fattest state for the third consecutive year, while Colorado repeats as the leanest. Delaware rose the most places in the rankings over last year, while California dropped the most, according to a new analysis by CalorieLab, Inc.
Fattest States 2008
Most Obese States
West Virginia and Alabama remained as the second and third fattest states this year. The four states of Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, and Louisiana have obese populations that exceed 30 percent over a three-year average and two-thirds of the citizens of Mississippi and West Virginia were either overweight or obese by CDC standards in 2007.
Also not faring well this year was Delaware, which rose eight places to tie with North Dakota as the 21st fattest state, from last year’s 29th placing. Delaware’s 3-year obesity rate rose 2.4 percent.
Thinnest States
Colorado repeats as the slimmest state, despite a slight increase in obesity of 0.8 percent over three years. Last year Governor Bill Ritter of Colorado told CalorieLab, “[W]e’re not spared from the national obesity epidemic, and we must remain vigilant in order to guard against it. We’re doing all we can to encourage Coloradans — especially our kids — to take advantage of the natural resources our state offers in order to stay fit, healthy and happy.”
Hawaii enters the rankings for the first time in 2008 at number 50, the second slimmest state after Colorado. Hawaii had not conducted annual BMI surveys until 2005, so the required three years of data was not available until this year.
Last year California was the only state whose obesity rate held steady. This year it eaked up by 0.4 percent, but because of the overall increase in obesity nationwide California’s ranking dropped five places, from 36th fattest state to 41st fattest state.
The only state to get slimmer this year is not actually a state: the District of Columbia’s three-year obesity rate dropped by 0.1 percent.
Regional Obesity by State Trends
In general, states in the West and New England rank lowest in the fattest states rankings, while states in the South and the Rust Belt tend to rank highest.
CalorieLab computed the fattest state rankings for this year based on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rankings use a three-year average in order to smooth out statistical fluctuations.
Because of the overall increase in obesity, CalorieLab this year shifted the color coding used in its map one percentage point higher to maintain an approximately equal number of states per color. This means that this year’s map cannot be directly compared to last year’s and or any year prior to that. CalorieLab’s United States of Obesity 2008 map can be downloaded in various formats (small GIF, large GIF, SVG, EPS).
Map of 2008 Fattest States
The CalorieLab United States of Obesity Fattest States Ranking 2008 2007
Rank 2008
Rank State % Obese
2007 % Obese or
Overweight
2007 3-year
Obesity
Average % Obesity
Change Ranking
Change
1 1 Mississippi 32.6 68.1 31.6 1.0 0
2 2 West Virginia 30.3 68.0 30.6 0.9 0
3 3 Alabama 30.9 66.6 30.1 0.7 0
4 4 Louisiana 30.7 65.2 29.5 1.3 0
5 5 South Carolina 29.0 65.3 29.2 1.3 0
6 6 Tennessee 30.7 67.4 29.0 1.2 0
7 7 Kentucky 28.7 69.1 28.4 1.0 0
9 8 Oklahoma 28.8 65.1 28.1 1.3 1
8 Arkansas 29.3 65.6 28.1 1.1 0
9 10 Michigan 28.2 64.3 27.7 0.9 -1
9 11 Indiana 27.4 63.2 27.5 0.6 -2
14 12 Georgia 28.7 65.0 27.4 1.3 2
12 Missouri 28.2 63.3 27.4 1.1 0
16 14 Alaska 28.2 65.1 27.3 1.5 2
12 15 Texas 28.6 65.8 27.2 0.9 -3
17 16 North Carolina 28.7 64.6 27.1 1.5 1
15 17 Ohio 28.1 63.5 26.9 0.9 -2
18 18 Nebraska 26.5 64.7 26.5 1.1 0
20 19 Iowa 27.7 64.7 26.3 1.4 1
20 20 South Dakota 27.2 65.5 26.0 1.1 0
19 21 North Dakota 27.0 64.9 25.9 0.8 -2
29 Delaware 28.2 65.0 25.9 2.4 8
27 23 Kansas 27.7 63.8 25.8 1.5 4
23 24 Pennsylvania 27.8 62.7 25.7 1.2 -1
24 25 Virginia 26.3 62.9 25.5 1.1 -1
22 26 Wisconsin 25.3 62.3 25.4 0.7 -4
24 27 Illinois 25.6 63.0 25.3 0.9 -3
24 28 Maryland 26.3 62.7 25.2 0.8 -4
30 29 Oregon 26.3 62.0 25.0 1.7 1
28 30 Minnesota 26.0 62.0 24.8 1.1 -2
32 31 Idaho 25.1 63.1 24.6 1.4 1
31 32 Washington 25.9 62.1 24.5 1.2 -1
35 33 Wyoming 24.5 62.2 24.0 1.2 2
32 34 Maine 25.2 62.9 23.7 0.6 -2
37 35 Nevada 24.6 63.0 23.6 1.2 2
37 36 New York 25.5 61.9 23.5 1.1 1
37 New Hampshire 25.1 61.8 23.5 1.2 1
34 38 Florida 24.1 62.1 23.3 0.4 -4
43 Arizona 25.8 62.6 23.3 1.5 5
42 40 New Mexico 25.1 60.8 23.2 1.2 2
36 41 California 23.3 59.0 23.1 0.4 -5
40 42 New Jersey 24.1 62.3 22.9 0.7 -2
40 43 District of Columbia 22.2 55.3 22.1 -0.1 -3
44 44 Utah 22.4 58.0 21.8 0.7 0
45 45 Montana 22.6 61.8 21.7 1.0 0
46 46 Rhode Island 21.7 60.8 21.4 0.9 0
48 47 Vermont 21.9 58.8 21.1 1.1 1
49 48 Massachusetts 21.7 58.9 20.9 1.1 1
47 49 Connecticut 21.7 59.2 20.8 0.7 -2
N.A. 50 Hawaii 21.7 56.8 20.7 N.A. N.A.
50 51 Colorado 19.3 55.7 18.4 0.8 -1
Rankings were computed by CalorieLab based on a three-year average of state-by-state statistics for adult obesity percentages from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System database. Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or over, overweight as a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9. 2004 BMI data was not collected in Hawaii, so a three-year obesity average could not be computed for the 2007 rankings.