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Obesity rates have been stable in recent years

An estimated 31% of Michigan adults were obese in 2015, a rate that has been essentially stable over the past four years, according to a 2016 state report. In 1990, an estimated 13% of Michigan adults fit the criteria for obesity.

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Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

How obesity is defined

Adult obesity is defined as people with a body mass index — or BMI — of 30 or above, a number based on weight and height. While it is possible for heavily muscular people to have a high BMI but not be obese, the CDC says there is a strong correlation between BMI and more precise measures of obesity. A 30 BMI translates into a weight of 209 pounds for someone who is 5 foot 10 inches or 180 pounds for someone who is 5 foot 5 inches.

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Scott Levin / MLive

You can use our calculator to find out your BMI. Make sure to use inches when entering your height.

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Source: Centers for Disease Control

How Michigan adults compare nationally

Nationally, about 29 percent of adults are obese Louisiana has the highest adult obesity rate at 36% and Colorado has the lowest at 20%. Although we've gotten much fatter in recent years, Michigan's ranking has actually improved in regards to nationwide obesity rates: We were the fourth most-obese state in 1995, and we now rank 16th.

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Database: Obesity rates by county

Look up obesity rates in your county

This database contains the CDC's county-by-county estimates for 2009 through 2013. The numbers are based on annual surveys conducted of Michigan residents. The caveats:These are estimates, and there can be a substantial margin of error in counties with small populations. Also,

starting in 2011, the CDC made some changes in the way it calculates obesity rates, in part to better reflect minority populations. Because of those changes, the CDC cautions about comparing rates since 2011 with the earlier numbers.

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Two-thirds of Michigan adults are obese or overweight

In addition to adult Michiganders who are obese, additional 34.9 percent were classified as overweight in 2014, according to the state data. That was about the same as the national average. A person who is 5 foot 5 inches would be considered overweight at 150 pounds. For a person who is 5 foot 10 inches, the cut off is 174 pounds.

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Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Adult obesity lowest among Michigan's young adults

An estimated 16.3% of Michigan young adults age 18 to 25 are obese, compared to 35% for ages 55 to 64, the age group with the highest percentage.

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Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Blacks and Latinos have higher obesity rates than whites

By race, 38% of Michigan's adult African-Americans and 37% of Hispanics are obese, compared to 30% of whites, according to 2015 data.

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Source: Michigan Department of Health & Human Services

Obesity is correlated to income and education

In 2013, 37% percent of Michigan adults with a household income of less than $20,000 are obese. That compared to 28% percent of adults with a household income of more than $75,000, state data shows. In 2015, the state data shows that 34% of high school graduates were obese compared to 25% of high school graduates.

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Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

About 14% of Michigan child under age 18 are obese

About 13% of 3- and 4-year-olds in the WIC food program for low-income families are obese compared to about 15% of all children age 10 to 17 and 14% of high school students. Michigan ranks 24th among the 50 states in obesity for ages 10 to 17 and ranks 13th for obesity among high schoolers.

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Source: Michigan Department of Health & Human Services

Obese Michiganders have four times the rate of diabetes

Obesity significantly increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. About 11% of Michigan residents have diabetes and about 33% have hypertension, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Obesity also is associated with arthritis and is associated with an increased risk of many cancers including breast, colon and pancreatic cancers.