Which American states have the most obese citizens? Data released by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation revealed that the rates of obese Americans have increased in the last year in 6 U.S. states.
These states are Alaska, Idaho, New Jersey, Delaware, Wyoming, and Tennessee. Alaska's increase from 2012 to 2013 jumped from 25.7 to 28.4 percent; Idaho from 26.8 to 29.6 percent; New Jersey from 24.6 to 26.3 percent; Delaware from 26.9 to 31.1 percent; Wyoming from 24.6 to 27.8 percent; and Tennessee from 31.1 to 33.7 percent.
For 2013, Mississippi and West Virginia exhibited the highest obesity rates at 35.1 percent, and Colorado showed the lowest rate at 21.3 percent.
Looking back, the 2012 statistics showed that Mississippi was recorded as the second state with the highest rate of obesity, and the state has now landed at first place in 2013. Louisiana, the state which took the number one spot in 2012, jumped several places to number six the following year.
Colorado has still maintained its bottom rank spot-the state with the lowest rate of obesity- since the year 2000, and has been consecutively at that spot for 13 years. Despite this consistent bottom rank, the rate of obesity in Colorado for 2013 can already be considered high, according to Jeff Levi, the executive director of Trust for America's Health. Colorado's 21.3% percent is considered sky-rocketing, compared to the rates of obesity 30 years ago, with no state going above 15%. This is a dramatic rise, said Levi, what with 20 states now showcasing obesity rates reaching up to 30% or higher.
Such rise can be attributed to the deteriorating eating habits of Americans, little exercise, the increase of fast food outlets, a sedentary lifestyle, and low accessibility of reasonably-priced healthy food products.
Ginny Ehrlich of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said that if these obesity rates remain, the nation will head toward 'disastrous health and cost outcomes".
