Obesity is an epidemic across the country, and according to a new report from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, it's at its worst in Mississippi. But the rest of America isn't far behind. Here, a brief guide, by the numbers:
34.4
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
19.4
Percent of adults who were obese in Mississippi 15 years ago. It was the fattest state then, too.
19.8
Percent of adults who are obese in Colorado, the least obese state
10
Michigan's ranking amongst the most obese states. It's the first state on the list above the Mason-Dixon line. "The highest obesity rates are in the South, large swaths of which are poor and rural, and where fried foods are eaten in abundance," says Katy Steinmetz at TIME.
12
Number of states where the adult obesity rate is above 30 percent
Number of states that had an adult obesity rate above 15 percent 15 years ago
1
Number of states that had an adult obesity rate over 30 percent four years ago. "It's not unlike with individuals," says Jeffrey Levi with Trust for America's Health. "You add a pound or two every year, and after 10 or 20 years, it becomes a significant thing, and that's sort of what the country has done."
16
Number of states where the obesity rate has gotten worse in the past year
Number where it has gotten better
190 million
Number of Americans who are overweight or obese, according to the report
311,719,884
Current population of the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau
Sources: NY Daily News, Reuters, TIME, U.S. Census Bureau
-
Bluetoothing: the phenomenon driving HIV spike in FijiUnder the Radar ‘Blood-swapping’ between drug users fuelling growing health crisis on Pacific island
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetimeFeature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Book reviews: ‘We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution’ and ‘Will There Ever Be Another You’Feature The many attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution and Patricia Lockwood’s struggle with long Covid
