Mississippi is the fattest state in the Union, with 30.1% of Mississippians being obese. That’s almost one in every three inhabitants. Not that the Magnolia State (in red on this map) should be singled out for its massiveness. It is surrounded by four of the eight other fattest US states (in brown on this map): Tennessee (29.0%), Arkansas (29.3%), Louisiana (29.5%) and Alabama (30.1%). Being overweight clearly is a Southern thing – even if the second-fattest state, West-Virginia (30.6%), broke away from the rebellious South in 1863 to join the North.
The other states in the top obesity bracket are Oklahoma (28.1%), Kentucky (28.4%) and South Carolina (29.2%). The next bracket (26 to 28% of inhabitants obese) is filled out by nine states, three of which are Southern (Texas, Georgia and North Carolina), three adjoin the Great Lakes (Michigan, Indiana and Ohio) and three are clustered in the Midwest (Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri).
The leanest states also tend to cluster: states in the least but one category (22 to 24%) include Maine and New Hampshire; New York and New Jersey; and California, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.
Some of the least obese (20.7 to 22%) states are Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
Another one, Utah, is adjacent to Colorado, which is by far the leanest state of them all (18.4%).
Overall, the Soutwest and New England are counting calories, while the South and to a lesser extent the Midwest are piling on the pounds.
Obesity, it may be useful to repeat, is not a euphemism for being overweight. It means being so fat that one’s health is affected. You are defined as obese if you have a body mass index of 30 or over (with a bmi of between 25 and 30, you are merely overweight). The US is the most overweight nation in the world, with over a quarter of the total population being obese. Obesity is a global phenomenon, however. It was recently reported that for the first time in history, there are now more overweight than malnourished people in the world.
Thanks to Stannous Flouride for sending in this map, found here at frostfirezoo.com. Original context unclear.
The original map and article is from http://calorielab.com/news/2008/07/02/fattest-states-2008/
Comment by Kees — July 5, 2008 @ 8:43 am
What I find so amazing is that only one state has less than 20% of its population not classed as obese. And 18.4% is still no small amount.
That’s an astonishing amount of people.
Comment by Stephen D. Moore — July 5, 2008 @ 10:13 am
Just looking at the red states on this map I can’t help but notice that there seems to be a correlation between them and the red states at the last two presidential elections. Could there be a causal connection between being obese and voting Republican and, if so, which is the cause of the other? Most importantly, does this mean that Weight Watchers is a Democratic PAC?
Comment by Konrad Talmont-Kaminski — July 5, 2008 @ 10:38 am
The poorest States are the most overweighted, so poor = obese in the USA ( and in the old or new industrial countries in general )…
Comment by lp — July 5, 2008 @ 10:46 am
So the measure of obesity used, then, also includes very muscular people who are also ‘overweight’?
Comment by Benjamin — July 5, 2008 @ 11:45 am
The South’s diet has a lot of carb’s in it. Grits and Hush Puppies have taken their toll!
Comment by Nick — July 5, 2008 @ 12:57 pm
The poor-obese correlation makes a lot of sense when you consider that, per calorie, “healthy” food is twenty times more expensive than “junk” food. Fresh veggies, lean meat, unprocessed meals – much, much more expensive than the processed meals, canned and preserved food, the staples of the WalMart and likewise crowd. This price disparity is unique to the developed countries of the West, or at least it seemed to me when I lived in the former Soviet Union. There were a lot fewer choices, but none of those choices had preservatives or excess fat or calories for “flavor.”
And then add in our “snacking” culture… Being fat is not a personality disorder so much as a lifestyle disorder. And one without a simple answer, unless that answer be “eat less, exercise more.” The food itself could be healthier, and there’s no doubt about that.
Comment by Michael Hancock — July 5, 2008 @ 1:01 pm
It seems that people have given serious, considered and interesting answers to my less-than-serious questions. Still, while the connection between poor and overweight makes sense, this still leaves the connection between poor and Republican. Now, I know that a trope the GOP has used is that the Democrats are the party of ‘the elites’ but the reality is that the Republican party has consistently followed policies aimed at transferring money away from the poor and to the rich. This, in effect, means that poor US voters who vote for the GOP are voting counter to their interests. Which should mean the poor states being solidly Democrat. So why do these states vote Republican?
Comment by Konrad Talmont-Kaminski — July 5, 2008 @ 1:39 pm
“The US is the most overweight nation in the world” while true for quite a long time, it is no longer. As of last week, Australia is now the proud title holder.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4e3483a6-3f2b-11dd-8fd9-0000779fd2ac.html
Comment by Marc Dvens — July 5, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
Oh, Colorado has “just” 18.4%…
Why am I not cheerful?
Comment by Toni M — July 5, 2008 @ 2:11 pm
[...] was recently reported that for the first time in history, there are now more overweight than malnourished people in the world. Umm… good? This idea just seems so odd to me. Like we are force feeding people in africa [...]
Pingback by Stefan Hayden » there are now more overweight than malnourished people in the world — July 5, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
I’m sorry, but “Being overweight clearly is a Southern thing – even if the second-fattest state, West-Virginia (30.6%), broke away from the rebellious South in 1863 to join the North.” doesn’t make sense to me. How are they “Southern” if they seceded from a southern state to join the North?
@3: I don’t think that holds true. Look @, for instance, Utah and the Federal District. Utah is @ 21.8 and DC 22.1. By fat = Republican, Utah should be slightly more Democratic than DC, when infact they are probably the most strongly Republican and Democratic “States” in Presidential elections (And internally as well, excepting maybe Salt Lake City).
I think there is a tendency of people to look @ maps like this, and if there appears to be something centered on the South, they immediately wonder if it follows electoral tendencies.
Comment by Lurker — July 5, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
According to the WHO…
“What causes obesity and overweight?
“The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed on one hand, and calories expended on the other hand. Global increases in overweight and obesity are attributable to a number of factors including:
“* a global shift in diet towards increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars but low in vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients; and
“* a trend towards decreased physical activity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization.”
– http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index.html
Comment by Ken — July 5, 2008 @ 2:59 pm
Lurker, the phrase “even if” shows that the webmaster knows that West Virginia is technically a northern state. But if you visit the central and southern parts of the state, you will hear the residents speak in what most Americans would identify as a southern accent.
Comment by Huntington — July 5, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
I have been told that if Scottland was a country it would be the fattest country in the world, fatter than the US.
Another reason for them not to seek independence I guess!
Comment by David — July 5, 2008 @ 8:07 pm
Here in Australia, fresh food is actually less expensive than the packaged processed stuff, if you keep your meat consumption within reason (ie. not a big hunk of steak every night). Yet we also have an obesity problem here.
One thing I’ve noticed is that fresh food is harder to find in the US than it is here, and perhaps it is more expensive (supply and demand?). But there could be many reasons for that.
Comment by mookers — July 5, 2008 @ 9:56 pm
Spent 6 months in Scotland, David, and at 230 pounds I was definitely the fattest person I ever met :)
Comment by Eric — July 5, 2008 @ 10:16 pm
This is terrible. However, Canada is not much better. Public schools often sell junk to children and dieting seems more about marketing than solid nutritional choices.
Comment by jorees — July 5, 2008 @ 11:25 pm
I love in the fattest Canadian city – Hamilton, Ontario. I noticed before the information came out a few days ago that there is a lot of fat here but I forget the exact stats.
Either something will have to be done about it, or we will all have to start believing all the crazy stuff that Kate Harding puts up on her web site on fat acceptance.
Comment by loobiesmith — July 5, 2008 @ 11:31 pm
[...] 297 – The South Shall Snack Again [image] Mississippi is the fattest state in the Union, with 30.1% of Mississippians being obese. That’s almost [...] [...]
Pingback by Top Posts « WordPress.com — July 6, 2008 @ 12:01 am
I think it’s a cultural thing – FRIED FOODS
Comment by Ethel-to-Tilly — July 6, 2008 @ 12:56 am
Unsubscribing from the blog. It was fun until the misinformation and prejudice came along. Seeya.
Comment by Ed — July 6, 2008 @ 2:03 am
When I visited the US, I couldn’t believe the incredible difference in cost between low-calorie food – vegetables and whole grains, especially – and extremely high-calorie food. I could feed twenty people with cheap, high-calorie food for the same price I could feed two people with low-fat, low-calorie food.
Comment by Charlene — July 6, 2008 @ 2:37 am
Unsubscribing from the comments. It was fun until Ed left and took all the randomness with him. Seeya.
Comment by steve — July 6, 2008 @ 3:02 am
New England is the thinnest region of the nation, then. You’d never be able to tell by living here.
Comment by Vic — July 6, 2008 @ 3:13 am
@8: Economic interest is generally not the primary issue for American voters (this is true not just of the poor but also of the rich, who more often vote for Democrats despite the fact that Republican policies are more in line with their economic interests). Although most people on both sides don’t care to admit it, party affiliation for most people is a matter of taking sides in the “culture wars”: do you stand with the patriotic, god-fearing folk who work an honest job against the heathen elitists who hate America, or do you stand with the open-minded, well-educated people against the bigots who want to turn America into a theocracy? I suspect that if the two parties traded economic positions with one another but kept their social positions, and most Americans’ party affiliations wouldn’t change. But if the two parties traded social positions without changing economic positions, you’d see a large number of people switching party affiliations over the next decade or two. Indeed, that’s pretty much what happened in the third quarter of the 20th century.
Comment by rhodent — July 6, 2008 @ 4:42 am
[...] Read it. Mississippi is the fattest state in the Union, with 30.1% of Mississippians being obese. That’s almost one in every three inhabitants. Not that the Magnolia State (in red on this map) should be singled out for its massiveness. It is surrounded by four of the eight other fattest US states (in brown on this map): Tennessee (29.0%), Arkansas (29.3%), Louisiana (29.5%) and Alabama (30.1%). Being overweight clearly is a Southern thing – even if the second-fattest state, West-Virginia (30.6%), broke away from the rebellious South in 1863 to join the North. [...]
Pingback by DYSPEPSIA GENERATION » Blog Archive » The South Shall Snack Again — July 6, 2008 @ 12:55 pm
@14: OK, missed “if”.
I wonder exactly how the “CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System” gathers its data.
Comment by Lurker — July 6, 2008 @ 2:38 pm
“Overweight” and “obese” in BMI terms, and “overweight” and “obese” in health terms are two different things, there is no real correlation between the two and health professionals do not use BMI for diagnosis.
BMI is subject to so many conditions it is useless even as a statistical tool. Athletes have high BMI because muscle is denser than fat, most are at least “overweight”, and this includes anyone with a good physique (Brad Pitt and Russell Crowe are good examples of “overweight” people).
BMI is affected by age, whilst child BMI is often calculated differently, the elderly are often not. We know we all shrink with age so our BMI naturally increases, but that doesn’t mean we are getting unhealthy. Jack LaLanne, the “godfather of fitness”, in his 90s and still works out 2 hours a day, is “overweight” according to BMI.
Ethnic origin also affects BMI, most health authorities in the UK routinely adjust for asian physiques, and africans, especially women, should also be adjusted.
Most health conditions are attributed to absolute waist measurements versus age regardless of height or BMI, body “shape” is also considered (endomorphic, etc).
BMI results are subject to change, in 1998 the US was brought in line with WHO over the classification, instantly rendering 30 million americans as “overweight”.
As a system developed in 1850 by a Belgian polymath, with no real correlations done between BMI and health, it is no wonder it is used only by non-healthcare professionals like journalists for sensationalist stories … or maps.
Comment by IanCroydon — July 6, 2008 @ 5:50 pm
It’s interesting that states on the outside coast like New Mexico and Florida are skinny while the inside states like Alaska are fat. Also, they voted REpublican.
Comment by Scott — July 6, 2008 @ 11:18 pm
Scott, I’d suggest that Alaska is almost a unique case. BMI isn’t suited to the Inuit physique; an Inuk man with less than 5% body fat might very well be considered massively obese by the BMI.
Alaska also has a far higher percentage of people who work on the land or at sea than any other state. You’ve got a lot of beefy, muscular lumberjacks and fishermen up there.
Comment by Charlene — July 7, 2008 @ 12:44 am
Looks to me more of an east-west divide than a north-south one.
Comment by john r — July 7, 2008 @ 9:04 am
I live in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts. My wife, young son and I have very healthy eating habits. All of our meat and vegetables come from small CISA farms. Where we live, these types of farms are plentiful, and farmers’ markets abound. This all adds up to make fresh, organic, free-range, humane and non-genetically altered food readily available and affordable. If we lived elsewhere, I’m sure our diet would suffer. And I’m not talking about a north/south or east/west scenario here. I have friends and family who live 50 miles away from me who do not have affordable access to these kinds of foods.
Comment by Terry — July 7, 2008 @ 3:05 pm
[...] “The South Shall Snack Again.” Posted on July 7, 2008 by bryan Fatness by state. [...]
Pingback by “The South Shall Snack Again.” « BC in OC — July 7, 2008 @ 3:07 pm
#29: You’re right. I work out 5-6/week, aerobics classes, yoga & weight lifting. I’m technically “fat” by BMI. Even so, the vast majority don’t, and I think this map is accurate.
Definitely sedentary lifestyle as much as food causes weight gain. Also, of course, food choices – Utah is proof of that. Mormons eat more healthily than the rest of us.
Comment by HK_Guy — July 7, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
Poverty and obesity rates are strongly correlated in the US, as are obesity and Diabetes rates (Type II specifically). This is also impacted by race/ethnicity statistics; African-Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and other Indian ethnicities are much more likely to be obese and/or have Diabetes than non-Hispanic Causcasians or Asians.
Mississippi is a good example of this phenomenon. They have the higest obesity rate in the country, and also have the highest rate of diabetes. Mississippi has one of the highest concentrations of African-Americans in the US as well. It is also one of the poorest states (I believe West Virginia is the poorest, and Mississippi is second, but I could be wrong here).
So the real question is what variable is the main factor in increasing obesity rates? Is it just income-related, or is it multifactorial? For example,as other commenters have mentioned, places like Australia and England have exceptionally high obesity rates as well, but one would estimate that Australia has nowhere near the racial diversity the US has. On the other hand, numerous studies have shown that race is an important factor in both obesity and Diabetes rates. So what is it?
My best empirical observation is that obesity rates are highly-correlated to socioeconomic data, mainly poverty. Racial discrepancies in obesity rates amongst African-Americans and Hispanics, at least in the U.S., are most likely due to confounding of poverty and race in this instance. African-Americans and Hispanics are proportionally more poor than Caucasians and Asians in the U.S., which helps explains the variation in obesity rates between races. Native Americans and other Indian populations may be more genetically inclined to process food into energy in a lean fashion, so the introduction of these races to a overabundance of food (particulary cheap food) has created some of the highest obesity rates in the world amongst them.
As has been mentioned, generally speaking, “healthier” well-prepared food in the U.S. is much more expensive than processed, high-fat, high-calorie food that can be bought in bulk. Also, fried food is less expensive to prepare. One would also have to believe that while cheap food is partially responsible for the link between poverty and obesity, that work ethic in general may affect this relationship as well.
It is not unreasonable to believe that the circumstances mentioned above may play a role in how poorer people became our country’s fattest people. However, there have not been many studies that develop these theories, so we continue to walk down a path where our nation’s poorest and least-productive states (in economic terms) are becoming our fattest, unhealthiest, and in turn our highest, government-funded, health resource consuming states. These type of trends spell economic doom for the country, particularly with the looming healthcare-for-everyone plan being proposed for the nation. For example, diabetes is one of the most costliest diseases in the world, it accounts for nearly 33% of all our Medicare spending, and the diabetes rates by state are nearly identical to the obesity an poverty rate maps. If these trends are not reversed, the American economy will sink by spending itself into inflationary depression, in a futile attempt to deliver costly medical treatment to the poorest and unhealthiest individuals our country has to offer.
Comment by mattc — July 7, 2008 @ 3:12 pm
To IanCroydon —
LOL, you are CLEEEEARLY not from the the U.S., or at least have not done any extensive travelling through the middle or Southern parts of the country. While your argument about ethnicity is valid, your use of the ‘athletic muscle-mass’ argument is so uproariously funny that I almost fell right out of my chair laughing. You mean to tell me that even a modest percentage of those being classified as overweight are actually muscular instead?? And as for the age argument, there are PLLLENTY of unequivocally OVERWEIGHT folks over the age of 60 here. You have just obviously never been here. So, come to America and do some travelin’, mate :) because that was the funniest thing I’ve ever read in a comment section–seriously–and I can’t WAIT to hear what you see with your own two eyes when you get here (PS- My email is tellman126@gmail.com)
Comment by John — July 7, 2008 @ 3:32 pm
It’s interesting to compare this map to last years: http://calorielab.com/news/wp-images/post-images/fattest-states-2007-big.gif
Unfortunately it seems like incidence of obesity is up about 1% across the entire nation.
Comment by Michael — July 7, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
“The US is the most overweight nation in the world”
FYI: Australia recently surpassed the US in overall obesity. Not a great thing to be leading in but it is an important fact worth noting.
See – http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080619121714.l4my6v8z&show_article=1
– Scott
Comment by Scott Nolan Smith — July 7, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
[...] ARTICLE [...]
Pingback by Snack Time — July 7, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
The correlation between GOP-voting states and obesity is complex. There is a correlation about being poor and getting fat, and being poor and being conservative. This relationship, however, is not always observed. Wyoming and Utah are lean and yet they overwhelmingly vote Republican. The difference is that the Midwest vote GOP because it’s libertarian while the South votes GOP because it’s conservative and, no offence, racist. There is also a correlation between being conservative and backwardedness – again, no offence. Another reason, probably the more important one, is that the South votes GOP largely because of racism (a relationship between higher black population and larger racial divide is observed in elections); it is racist largely because it has a high concentration of blacks. And blacks are poorer.
That is:
GOP voting <- more conservative poorer -> obesity
GOP voting <- racist white majority poorer -> obesity
Comment by Herunar — July 7, 2008 @ 5:34 pm
I’m pretty sure that I’m one of those folks that falls into the buff, muscular, he-man category . Along with the majority of my co-workers and neighbors . Nothing to worry about!
Comment by Jeff — July 7, 2008 @ 5:36 pm
This map would be a lot more interesting if it controlled for wealth. A measurement of obesity per GDP would give us a much better view of those making poor decisions versus those whho don’t have a choice.
Comment by Padraic — July 7, 2008 @ 5:38 pm
Australia is now fatter than the US?
I guess Russell Crowe must have beefed up a bit more than Brad Pitt last year.
Comment by Matt — July 7, 2008 @ 5:45 pm
Those quibbling with BMI as a measure of obesity because it doesn’t describe themselves or someone else they know is missing the point. It is an easy to calculate statistic that is useful in population based studies and certainly helps document the trend in excess body weight over time in the US and elsewhere. The statistic also correlates with acutuarial data on mortality and clinical data on the prevalence of obesity-related diseases such as sleep apnea, hypertension and diabetes. Becaus eit does not properly describe YOUR body habitus or health is not the point (alternatively, it may and you don’t want to admit it). Either way, BMI and the fact that it is increasing in many places are important issues. Whether it is causally related to political orientation is unclear. One might want to look at educational attainment (say percentage of residents with an advanced degree by state). I bet the map above and the one I suggest look a lot alike; there may be a causal relationship, along with political ideology, as well.
Comment by Richard — July 7, 2008 @ 6:11 pm
#37: You’re right about there being a whole bunch of lard buckets in this country which would make up a large percentage of the overweight number, but the US also has more gym rats than other countries too, which is where a large number of “overweight” folks would also show up in numbers. I’m 6′4″ 200lbs and overweight apparently, but most people think I would weigh 180lbs. Looks are deceptive. The US is a land extremes, the most fatties and the most gym rats.
#8: “Now, I know that a trope the GOP has used is that the Democrats are the party of ‘the elites’ but the reality is that the Republican party has consistently followed policies aimed at transferring money away from the poor and to the rich. This, in effect, means that poor US voters who vote for the GOP are voting counter to their interests. Which should mean the poor states being solidly Democrat. So why do these states vote Republican?”
The answer to your question is that a lot of people in the GOP have pride and principles. They don’t like taking handouts or things they don’t see as theirs. What’s the point in working your way up to become rich when you’re just going to have to give it back anyway? It’s a mind set thing. They like the government out of their life and they like to keep/take what they earn and nothing else. They may eat and live unhealthy, but then they don’t cry for the government to bail them out with national healthcare. Did you notice a difference in flood survivors from the recent Miss. River floods and N. Orleans Katrina survivors’ work ethic and community cohesion after the disasters?
Comment by BAT — July 7, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
“One might want to look at educational attainment (say percentage of residents with an advanced degree by state). I bet the map above and the one I suggest look a lot alike; there may be a causal relationship, along with political ideology, as well.”
This is an interesting point, and I would venture to guess that it closely resembles the map above, since the obestiy map correlates to poverty rates as I mentioned earlier.
However, a better obesity map would be one adjusted for income levels, which could then be compared to more socioeconomic trends like education levles, by removing the purely economic variable (income). It stands to reason that there is not only a correlation between poverty and high-obesity rates (which has been proven), but also a relationship between wealth and lower rates, as evidenced by the lower obesity numbers in states like CT, MA, NJ, NY, or even FL.
The state-by-state comparison is actually flawed. Most researchers in this field are now looking to evaluate obesity rates (and the rates of corresponding health issues) by zip code. California is a good example of a state that appears to have an overall moderate obesity rate in comparison to other states, but when it is broken down by zip code a different story is told.
Comment by mattc — July 7, 2008 @ 7:14 pm
[...] state falls on the obesity scale- heh- here’s a handy visual aide from the fine folks at the Strange Maps [...]
Pingback by You know what will get people to think about their health? « MoFoCo Mountain West: Clogging Your Intertubes With Style! — July 7, 2008 @ 7:52 pm
@8 “Now, I know that a trope the GOP has used is that the Democrats are the party of ‘the elites’ but the reality is that the Republican party has consistently followed policies aimed at transferring money away from the poor and to the rich.”
I think you may be confused. First money is made. Then it is ‘transferred’ or redistributed via confiscatory tax policies that are not written by the GOP. The transfer is from the top down, not up.
Perhaps we should be glad that one of our biggest problems (pun intended) is that it seems that in this country, even bums on the street are not worried about starving, rather quite the reverse.
Lets put those bums on some treadmills. Maybe generate a little electricity to power your hybrid.
Comment by Tab Jeffcoat — July 7, 2008 @ 7:59 pm
[...] – Mississippi is the most obese state in the nation. [Strange Maps] [...]
Pingback by Los Angeles : Dining News Elsewhere: Kosher Shortage, Chestnut Devours Kobayashi — July 7, 2008 @ 8:14 pm
[...] Strange Maps (via Richard [...]
Pingback by Damn the South is Fat — Chompblast — July 7, 2008 @ 11:27 pm
[...] Richard Florida, via Strange Maps, via Andrew Sullivan, via Strange [...]
Pingback by Our Own System » Blog Archive » Insert Witty Obesity Title Here — July 8, 2008 @ 2:18 am
@46: Let’s see what the people of Cedar Rapids had to say about the flood:
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080707/NEWS/568055617 — here’s an article where the person talks about how FEMA (a government agency) helped him out.
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080706/NEWS/609830311 — here’s one where someone comments on the great job FEMA( a government agency) did.
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080702/NEWS/630859063 — here’s one where someone talks about the prompt response he got when he went to FEMA (a government agency) and applied for, to use your words, “the government to bail him out.”
I know that Rush Limbaugh (who is in Florida, over a thousand miles from the flooding) has tried to paint this as a matter of “conservatives in the good ol’ heartland fixed the problem while liberals in New Orleans sat around and waited for assistance.” But the message that seems to be coming from the people who are actually in the flooded areas is that he main difference between these floods and Katrina is that the government is doing a better job this time.
Comment by rhodent — July 8, 2008 @ 2:56 am
I would like to see the numbers for the percentage of overweight and underweight per state. I’m interested in knowing if the overweight catagory reflects the obese catagory.
Comment by Ken — July 8, 2008 @ 7:43 am
now someone tells me how, while the obesity rate for the USA as a whole is 34% (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/07newsreleases/obesity.htm), we can come up with a map backed up by data from the same source that claims that the fattest state is at 31.1%, with most of the other states in the 20-25% range, like for the UK. while the distribution of obesity is plausible, the absolute numbers seem suspiciously low.
Comment by jerome — July 8, 2008 @ 3:30 pm
re: overweight and obese, in the US approx 2/3 of the population aged 15 or older is overweight or obese. 70% for men. compare that with 23% in Japan, (20% overweight + 3% obese).
Comment by jerome — July 8, 2008 @ 3:31 pm
Here in Colorado it certainly isn’t evident that people are terribly thin!
At the People’s Fair I was amazed at the huge number of obese YOUNG people. It’s obvious that the younger generation is significantly more obese than my generation was at their age.
There are just hordes of hugely fat teenagers — snacking away on soda and starchy food.
I can’t imagine the horrible health problems as this generation gets older, because people tend to get fatter with age, not thinner!
Comment by Cugel — July 8, 2008 @ 3:43 pm
It might be interesting to see this data as a cartogram where a state’s area is scaled to state obesity rates, or average adult weight, etc.
Comment by Ken — July 8, 2008 @ 5:43 pm
[...] – Mississippi is the most obese state in the nation. [Strange Maps] [...]
Pingback by New York City : Dining News Elsewhere: Suing Waiters, Ballooning Boulud — July 8, 2008 @ 7:11 pm
[...] Interesting map showing that the highest concentration of overweight Americans is in the south and to a lesser extent the Midwest, while New England and a “backward L” from Montana to California that doesn’t comport all that well with conventional regionalization are slender. Like James Poulos I want to know more — a county level map, perhaps, or some kind of demographic controls. Rate this: 2.8 More on GoldbergMore on PatriotismBig SkyRass Shows Obama Up In MTReally?Related PostsMore on GoldbergMore on PatriotismBig SkyRass Shows Obama Up In MTReally? [...]
Pingback by seriouslypolitics » Blog Archive » Where The Fat’s At — July 8, 2008 @ 8:23 pm
[...] HEALTH: Mississippi is the fattest state in the Union [...]
Pingback by ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS PICKS « The Conservation Report — July 9, 2008 @ 3:49 am
John #37, you missed the point of my post; BMI is not a reliable indicator of health.
BMI is also hugely variable according to age and ethnicity, so the map might reflect that, rather than just where the lardbuckets live.
I have been to America on several occasions, I see a country of fatties, but I also see a country of people who live long and glorious lives comapared to other parts of the world.
When you get old, you will get fat. It does not mean you are unhealthy.
Comment by IanCroydon — July 9, 2008 @ 5:47 am
I am really surprised that Ohio does not have double the obesity rate. Ahh, the Ohio lifestyle: Hanging out in shopping malls, going to movies, and watching every Buckeyes game in a sports bar while guzzling cheap beer and eating wings……
Comment by Ron — July 9, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
[...] – Mississippi is the most obese state in the nation. [Strange Maps] [...]
Pingback by San Francisco : Dining News Elsewhere: Nutritional Information, Unreasonable Pricing — July 9, 2008 @ 6:04 pm
[...] The South Shall Snack Again, showing that Mississippi is the fattest state in the union. [...]
Pingback by The Spokesrider » Strange maps — July 10, 2008 @ 7:16 am
I’ve always wondered if winter burns more calories in people. Sure, you spend more time inside, but in addition to getting the body to do more work calories help keep it warm too. Of course, you could argue that genetically having a few extra pounds helps insulate you from the cold, which would tend to work exactly opposite to that. Who knows.
Comment by nate — July 11, 2008 @ 1:35 am
Surprised it took so long to bring up weather. There’s clearly a correlation between hotter states and higher obesity rates. In modern times, that’s pretty understandable: the heat makes outside activity unpleasant, and modern technology makes it easy to avoid it. Cars to drive everywhere, AC to keep indoors nice and cool. I’d be shocked if there weren’t at least some causation here.
Comment by HH — July 11, 2008 @ 3:38 am
Surprised it took so long to bring up weather. There’s clearly a correlation between hotter states and higher obesity rates. In modern times, that’s pretty understandable: the heat makes outside activity unpleasant, and modern technology makes it easy to avoid it. Cars to drive everywhere, AC to keep indoors nice and cool. I’d be shocked if there weren’t at least some causation here. States where physical activity is more pleasant [like Colorado] benefit from higher calorie expenditures and are thus skinnier.
Comment by HH — July 11, 2008 @ 3:39 am
Surprised it took so long to bring up weather. There’s clearly a correlation between hotter states and higher obesity rates. In modern times, that’s pretty understandable: the heat makes outside activity unpleasant, and modern technology makes it easy to avoid it. Cars to drive everywhere, AC to keep indoors nice and cool. I’d be shocked if there weren’t at least some causation here. States where physical activity is more pleasant [like Colorado] benefit from higher calorie expenditures and are thus skinnier.
I’d also venture that the coastlines have higher population density, which makes things like walking, biking, and public transportation more productive by putting things within walking/biking/bus distance. That’s rarely the case in the South.
Comment by HH — July 11, 2008 @ 3:40 am
Sorry about that. Lousy IE.
Comment by HH — July 11, 2008 @ 3:41 am
An interesting map.
What I find interesting is how people can go on and on, harping about how BMI doesn’t reflect actual data. Sure, there might be loads of ‘buff’ people, but a casual look around suggests that there, well, aren’t. And even if half of all the ‘obese’ were to be classified as ‘buff’ (unlikely), we’d still be talking about obesity rates in the 10 to 15% range, which is HUGE.
I mean, really, really huge.
That’s 10 to 15% of people who are practically incapacitated by their, well, fat. Say what you like, a population with that many sick people is in dire straits.
And not musical dire straits either.
Comment by Lukc — July 11, 2008 @ 10:51 am
Why are people in the south such worthless, fat, lazy, human beings? I simply cannot understand why people in the south are religious, fat, uneducated and lazy, adding to their complexities about the world
Comment by Frank — July 11, 2008 @ 2:32 pm
the south is full of lazy, worthless, people.
Comment by Frank — July 11, 2008 @ 2:33 pm
It would be great to see a world map and how the countries match up against each other in the area of obesity.
Comment by Edward — July 11, 2008 @ 3:20 pm
If the South were really as bad as Jeff Foxworthy suggests, then why do so many Northerners choose to retire down there? (Note: I did not say “Yankees,” as traditional Yankees are in the Northeastern United States.
Comment by Ron — July 11, 2008 @ 4:24 pm
@75: Lower taxes maybe. I remembers seeing an ad for retiring to Mississippi for tax breaks, and Alabama has very low taxes (For historical reasons). Also, it’s warmer down there, so alot of people will prefer that.
Finally I suspect there is some element of crowds there: If everyone else your age (IE. Old) has retired down there, why not go too? You might meet someone…
Comment by Lurker — July 11, 2008 @ 9:11 pm
There’s a pretty clear correlation between the percentage of African-Americans in a state and the percentage of “obsese” people in it. (I use quotation marks because the BMI thresholds are entirely arbitrary.) African Americans tend to eat a high-fat, high-starch diet.
White Southerners are not particularly heavier than their Northern/Western brethren.
Comment by Bill — July 12, 2008 @ 2:05 am
Anyway, here are the five states with the highest percentages of African-American residents:
1. Mississippi – 36.3%
2. Louisiana – 32.5%
3. South Carolina – 29.5%
4. Georgia – 28.7%
5. Alabama – 26.0%
Look at where these states rank in the obesity chart.
By contrast, none of the seven green (least obese) states shown above is more than 5% black.
Comment by Bill — July 12, 2008 @ 2:17 am
Strangemaps, your definition of obesity (”It means being so fat that one’s health is affected”) needs to be refined. Many obese people are not experiencing any health issues. The clinical definition is that it is a level of body fat at which a person *would be expected* to experience health problems. There’s a key semantic difference there.
The problem with the BMI is that it’s just a straight weight/height
ratio, without taking into account the actual percentage of body fat. There is a middle ground between being “buff” and being a blimp. There are a lot of people that carry some muscle and some fat (you’ll see a lot of people like this at any health club), and the combination of the two is enough to put their weight into an “obese” range. They are healthier than someone whose obese weight is due solely to excess body fat, but the BMI cannot distinguish the two.
Comment by Bob — July 12, 2008 @ 2:31 am
[...] to Breck C. for the link! Found here. addthis_url = [...]
Pingback by Sociological Images » PERCENTAGE OF OBESE ADULT POPULATION BY STATE — July 13, 2008 @ 5:20 am
@ Bill (post #78)
Well, the African-American diet is different, isn’t it?
Comment by bourgeois pig — July 14, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
[...] StrangeMaps: Mississippi is the fattest state in the Union, with 30.1% of Mississippians being obese. That’s almost one in every three inhabitants. Not that the Magnolia State (in red on this map) should be singled out for its massiveness. It is surrounded by four of the eight other fattest US states (in brown on this map): Tennessee (29.0%), Arkansas (29.3%), Louisiana (29.5%) and Alabama (30.1%). Being overweight clearly is a Southern thing – even if the second-fattest state, West-Virginia (30.6%), broke away from the rebellious South in 1863 to join the North. [...]
Pingback by The South Shall Snack Again | fishbowlAMERICA — July 15, 2008 @ 5:56 am
[...] From here. [...]
Pingback by The leanest of them all! at forgo daily — July 18, 2008 @ 6:11 am
I would like to correct you, West Virginia did not break away, it was broken off. Most of the territory of West Virginia voted to secede from the Union, it is truly a part of the South. Read Curry’s “A House Divided”. Your history is incorrect.
Comment by Bob A. — July 18, 2008 @ 6:34 am
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has issued new guidance recommending use of Acomplia(rimonabant) in England and Wales, within its licensed indications, as an adjunct to diet and exercise for adults who are obese or overweight and who have had an inadequate response to, are intolerant of or are contraindicated to other anti-obesity agents that have previously been reviewed by NICE
Comment by harry — July 18, 2008 @ 6:39 am
Surprisingly, this map is closely related to this other story on evolution here – http://strangemaps.wordpress.com/2007/04/03/97-%E2%80%93-where-and-how-evolution-is-taught-in-the-us/
Comment by ken — July 18, 2008 @ 8:58 pm
[...] North Carolina, a state which has rolled-up its sleeves to help the South earn this little bit of dubious notoriety. Good God I reckon, as we’re apt to mutter, when confronted with such nonsense, down [...]
Pingback by And Speaking of Dogma… « Theory to Practice — July 29, 2008 @ 9:00 am
[...] Panoramic London Churches, The world’s most impressive Subways, Clouds Timelapse and the map of Obesity in United [...]
Pingback by Churches, subways, clouds and obesity. « Eduardo Angel Photography — July 29, 2008 @ 3:40 pm
Thank goodness for Mississippi!
Jamus in Alabama.
Comment by JamusP — July 30, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
Great post – if a map can’t prove to people that obesity is a growing problem, then who knows what will, outside of a nationwide campaign like the one against smoking, using graphic stories and images to shock the conscience.
I linked to your post at this url:
http://www.mapsandglobesguide.com/blog/Americans-Are-Living-Large-in-2008-According-to-New-US-Fat-Map/9
Lot of fast food places in the South, but this is definitely a national and global issue too.
Comment by Maps and Globes — August 12, 2008 @ 8:53 pm
This is terrible. However, Canada is not much better. Public schools often sell junk to children and dieting seems more about marketing than solid nutritional choices.
Comment by mr soup — August 15, 2008 @ 1:29 pm
[...] Obesity, it may be useful to repeat, is not a euphemism for being overweight. It means being so fat that one’s health is affected. You are defined as obese if you have a body mass index of 30 or over (with a bmi of between 25 and 30, you are merely overweight). The US is the most overweight nation in the world, with over a quarter of the total population being obese. See Strange Maps for more interesting maps. [...]
Pingback by Where the Fat Comes From « Terryorisms — August 30, 2008 @ 1:22 pm
[...] Sciences Talk »by Richard FloridaMon Jul 7th 2008 at 1:29pm EDTFatness Index Source: Strange Maps (via Andrew [...]
Pingback by Creative Class » Blog Archive » Fatness Index - Creative Class — September 30, 2008 @ 12:54 am
Ugh…living in the land of bbq and queso is certainly no easy task
Comment by HeatherUT — October 14, 2008 @ 7:45 am
The most comprehensive mapping website is coming.
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Comment by Vanessa — December 10, 2008 @ 9:25 pm
Thanks for all
Comment by الوليد — December 16, 2008 @ 8:01 pm
[...] Which state is the fattest? [...]
Pingback by the Sublime Blog » The Bible Belt Got Back — February 4, 2009 @ 10:06 pm
Its high time people wake up and be more conscious about their health and diet. Many of the dreadful diseases that many have fallen prey to is mainly due to our imbalanced life styles.
Comment by amylundberg — March 4, 2009 @ 11:18 am
thank you
Comment by Tony — May 4, 2009 @ 3:46 am
thanks for this map
good
luck
….
Comment by Solomon — May 11, 2009 @ 9:01 am
What is classified today as obese was 20 years ago classified as perfectly normal. Get this people, if you are little obese (BMI 25-30) and you do excercise, YOU ARE FINE.
The whole obese thing is a scare tactic by doctors.
Comment by Guy — May 17, 2009 @ 2:27 am
merci
Comment by aspicco . — May 17, 2009 @ 6:44 am
The United States is not the most overweight nation in the world, actually. Technically, there are almost a dozen more overweight nations, although most of them are island nations in the Pacific.
As for reasons, I think it’s pretty clear that the South has infrastructure issues. Much of the South did not urbanize until later in the game, due to air conditioning and the automocar. Cities are less dense, and people must drive to get around. Grocery stores are extremely spread out, and fast food / convenience stores are often closer than groceries. Many families I knew growing up in the South a short while ago would get the majority of the their food from gas stations, as driving to the grocery store was too ridiculous. I’m talking forty-to-ninety minute drives, here, just for groceries.
Comment by link0612 — May 31, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
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Pingback by 297 The South Shall Snack Again Strange Maps | Green Tea Fat Burner — June 8, 2009 @ 2:09 am
Someone pointed out that Repiblican states tend to more obese. Though that is a general trend, you have to also look at how Utah, one of the most conservative states, is leaner than California, one of the most liberal states. Montana is also quite conservative and is leaner than the much more liberal state of New York. Colorado was a swing state this time around, but it is usually fairly conservative – and it’s the lleanest state. I think it’s more cultural and economic factors.
Personally, I tend to mostly vote Democratic. Being 6′1″ tall and weighing in at 265, I’m 75 bs overweight – having gained a total of 100 lbs since high school. That puts my BMI at 35, which is in the obese range by a good 35 lbs. In my case, I just need to get up off my couch more and cut back on my food consumption.
I will also add that I live in the lean Intermountain West. I think one reason there are less people like me up here is because of all the outdoor activities and trails around here. Utah and Colorado both have lots of hiking/walking trails, lakes, mountains, etc. I know a lot of people who frequently go boating, water skiing, hiking, etc. I usually take the short, easy hikes and sit around and eat on the shore while everyone else goes out in the water. Yes, I know that’s why I’m fat. But at least I’m not in denial or avoid taking responsibility for why I’m fat. I’ll tell you streight up I eat too much and I am lazy.
Comment by Jay — June 16, 2009 @ 3:52 am
Vielen Dank
Comment by moon — July 3, 2009 @ 5:19 am