Mississippi steals West Virginia's crown as fattest state in the U.S. with more than ONE IN THREE obese

New research shows state-by-state breakdown of obesity in U.S.

Mississippi has highest rate, while Montana has the lowest

Obesity has increased in the U.S. every year since 2008



Mississippi has overtaken West Virginia to take the dubious honour of America's fattest state - with more than one in three residents clinically obese.

The southern state had the highest obesity rate in the U.S. in 2013, at 35.4 per cent, while Montana has the lowest rate, at 19.6 per cent.

The figures highlight the alarming rise of obesity in the U.S. Obesity has generally increased across the nation each year since 2008.

Fat of the land: A map showing obesity rates in the U.S

According to research from Gallup, from 2010 through 2012, West Virginia had the highest obesity rate nationwide, while Colorado had the lowest.

Five states - Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Kentucky - have been listed among the 10 states with the highest obesity rates in the nation since 2008.

Meanwhile, Colorado, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and California have routinely reported lower levels of obesity. All four have made the list of the 10 states with the lowest obesity rates each year since 2008.

The national obesity rate, as computed by respondents' self-reported height and weight in the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, has increased to 27.1 per cent from 26.2 per cent in 2012, and is up 1.6 percentage points from 25.5 per cent in 2008.

10 STATES WITH HIGHEST OBESITY RATES

STATE

% OBESE

Mississippi 35.4 West Virginia 34.4 Delaware 34.3 Louisiana 32.7 Arkansas 32.3 South Carolina 31.4 Tennessee 31.3 Ohio 30.9 Kentucky 30.6 Oklahoma 30.5 10 STATES WITH LOWEST OBESITY RATES STATE

% OBESE

Montana 19.6 Colorado 20.4 Nevada 21.1 Minnesota 20 Massachusetts 22.2 Connecticut 23.2 New Mexico 23.5 California 23.6 Hawaii 23.7 New York 24

Americans who have a BMI of 30 or higher are classified as obese. More than one in five adults were obese in nearly every state in 2013, with the sole exception of Montana.

Three in 10 adults were obese in 11 states, compared with only five states in 2012. Obesity rates continue to be highest in Southern and Midwestern states and lowest in Western and Northeastern states, the research suggests.

The findings also suggest chronic diseases are more prevalent in the most obese states. Those living in the 10 states with the highest levels of obesity are more likely to report having had a diagnosis of chronic disease at some point in their lives, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, diabetes, cancer, and heart attacks.

Obesity has generally increased across the U.S. each year since 2008.

AVERAGE EXERCISE AND HEALTHY EATING RATES FOR STATES WITH THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST OBESITY RATES

TEN MOST OBESE STATES AVERAGE %

TEN LEAST OBESE STATES AVERAGE %

High blood pressure 35.8 26.4 High cholesterol 28.2 23.2 Depression 20.7 16.6 Diabetes 14.3 19.6 Cancer 7.8 7.6 Heart attack 5 3.5

Conversely, Americans living in the 10 states with the lowest rates of obesity also report higher instances of healthy eating and exercise. For example, an average 66.7 per cent of those living in the 10 least obese states say they ate healthily, compared with 60.8 per cent of those living in the 10 most obese states.

'While there are a variety of factors that are often correlated with rising obesity rates, such as an unhealthy food environment, poor eating habits, increasing portion sizes, and inactivity, experts agree that the health consequences of obesity are real,' said Dr James E. Pope, Senior Vice President and Chief Science Officer at health company Healthways.

'Research has shown that the average healthcare costs for an obese individual are over $1,300 more annually than someone who is not obese.

'Although slowing and even reversing this trend may seem daunting, even modest weight loss of 5 per cent to 10 per cenmt of initial body weight can lower the health risks associated with obesity.'

The American Medical Association recognized obesity as a disease in June 2013.