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The Fattest State 2008 award goes to...

by Iva Skoch (RSS feed) on Jul 9th 2008 at 11:00AM

Drumroll, please. CalorieLab United States of Obesity rankings published their 2008 results.

Mississippi has claimed the title of fattest state for the third consecutive year. Colorado repeats as the leanest, according to their new analysis.

Here are some changes from last year:

West Virginia passed Alabama to become the second fattest state
Hawaii entered the rankings for the first time as the second leanest state (they had not collected data previously)
DC actually got slimmer; the only state to do so (obesity dropped 0.1%)
Delaware's obesity is increasing at a faster pace than any other state, while California's rankings have dropped at a faster pace than any other state

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

Emma Leigh Jul 9th 2008 2:00PM

I had a girlfriend that attended a convention in Fort Collins, CO and she said the food at the event as well as out on the town was crap. That might explain why they weigh less.

Mississippi Mud Pie - that's some good eatin'!

Amanda Jul 10th 2008 1:13PM

Convention food usually is a little on the questionable side.

However, as a Colorado native, I protest your assessment of the overall food scene in Colorado. Perhaps your girlfriends just failed to do any sort of research on where to find tasty grub in Fort Collins. There's a lot of good food there, from my experiences the last time I visited. The fault may not have been with the town or even, as you suggested the entire state, but with the individual instead.

Baron Jul 9th 2008 4:29PM

Yay for us in MS! We are first in something! :)

I do believe we have a bit of a problem here though, I see it every day when I go out to eat lunch (or dinner if I am so inclined). It is one of the things that makes me check myself (before I wreck myself) on what I'm eating. Part of the problem, I think, is to do with the poor economic status many in the state face. Those "have nots" (for lack of a better term right now) tend to eat at mostly fast food places and/or greatly indulge at one of the many all you can eat establishments here (they can do that and only have that one meal a day). Then, on top of that, there is not a huge amount of activity they end up doing (maybe because it is so darn hot here!) to really get in their exercise. Either way, we need to move down this ladder and up the education ladder (I feel those two are correlated as well...).

Emma Leigh Jul 9th 2008 5:02PM

You are right. I grew up in Arkansas - howdy neighbor - and can remember my home ec teacher telling me (circa 1985) that those lower on the economic scale by necessity have to buy cheaper food which is usually higher in fat like hamburger and pork and they buy a lot of high carb foods like macaroni and ramen noodles.

Therealmcgunnar Jul 11th 2008 6:22AM

in 1985, I think Pigs were just beginning to be bred to be leaner. Ya know we can blame poverty all we want, if Ol' Miss woul have been the thinnest state, it would have been because of "Poverty". And theres good food in the South be it fried or not, how is it so many "Poor" kids have Video game systems that they usually get around Christmass time from a group donating them.
Better Idea, next charity drive try buying Bicycles,Roller blades,Back packs, you know stuff that gets em out burning it off.

agonzo Jul 10th 2008 8:12PM

Love that Mississippi food! Those folks could fry up tree bark and make it taste good. However, obesity is a huge problem esp among the poorest of the poor. Fat is a cheap food.

Barbara Neff Jul 13th 2008 5:45PM

Cuisine culture of the Deep South includes loads of fried foods, bread with every meal, gravies, sauces and fatty meats. Those lowest on the socio-economic ladder, regardless of location, are far less likely to have health club memberships, fitness programs, participate in sports or even have access to adequate health care and education. Access to only the cheapest foods also means unhealthy intake of chemicals in the way of additives, dyes, preservatives and more, all of which impact body chemistry. The cards are stacked against the poor when it comes to good nutrition.

sommer Jul 10th 2008 8:44PM

Yeah, It doesn't surprise me at all that the south is the fattest. I've watched travel shows on cable that feature mostly restaurants in the south. Jesus, no wonder you people are disgustingly fat. All that grease & butter you cook in. What you people never ate a freakin salad? Fruit? Try walking, exercising, something. Unless you're happy being fat & smelly. Eat up piggies!!!

Jennifer Johnson Jul 10th 2008 10:26PM

sommer, I am 69 years old, have lived my life in the South (TN) , am NOT overweight, eat my 9 fruits/veggies/day and have been a regular runner for 29 years--I would be glad to take you on for a walk, run or row (concept 2-I can do 50 minutes-that is over 1200 strokes) without knowing your age or body status! Don't make blanket indictments of people you don't know-also try some byword besides "Jesus" He just might be offended!

J Jul 10th 2008 11:10PM

oh just shut up already. what are you some kind of trailer trash to talk like that? well at least our food down in the south is good! I am originally from PA and the food up there is bland, that is what they say about the north. Do yall know what salt is? How about creole seasoning? I need to send yall some.
JD

Liam Jul 16th 2008 2:45AM

Well, you obviously graduated at the top of your class in charm school, so I guess that gives you the right to be so critical of us poor folk in the deep south. Still, next time try, or at least consider, being a but more, um what's the word? civil? humane? forgiving? I realize that we down here ain't got as much edecation as yerself, still we is human beins, ain 't we? Doesn't we at least have the rite to be talked to as is we was of the same species as you?

I Jul 14th 2008 3:33PM

Yeah! California is droppping because Swim suit season is coming, and considering all those self image people, it would hurt their pride as a Californian....

LOL.

Talisa Jul 10th 2008 8:54PM

Man, I'm glad I'm a Delaware resident

Maria Jul 10th 2008 9:04PM

I am a New Yorker and we may not be the fattest state but it is rough staying in shape with all the great food here. I was overweight as a kid as I come from a big Italian family where food equalled love and a portion of pasta waw enormous!!! After being obese for years I made major changes in my life and am now a personal trainer and nutritionist. I am not thin, skinny or small..but boy am I healthy and toned.

I have learned by my own personal experience that crash diets are never healthy, and unfortunately the only thing that works for sustained
weight loss is a combination of reducing your calories and getting
some exercise in.
I am all for any tool than can help with weight loss as long as it is
healthy. Fad diets usually don't work, and neither do diet pills. I
do feel that lower carb eating
(not low or no carb, just limiting processed "white foods") in
general is healthy, but I think of that as more of a way of eating
than a fad.

As snacks I love berries, almonds(24 almonds is one ounce and a nice
snacks), flavored rice cakes (the chocolate is fantstic with a
teaspon of peanut butter)

Here are a other few tips that I give out:

Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. If you can't be
perfect in your eating don't make the day a wash and start
"tomorrow".

Try to eat something you truly enjoy every day.

Try to eat tomatoes in some form..lycopene is great for all
especially men!

Get a pedometer and try to walk 10,000 steps a day.

If you don't get enough fruits and veggies take a good multi vitamin.

Try to get exercise in when you can. I have read about smartsoles on
many aol boards and they actually work, they increase calories burned
with each step and tone muscles http://www.smartsole.com There is a
promo code that I found for them too. SMART15 gets you 15% off.

And the best thing I did for myself as a single woman is get a pet.
It has reduced stress for me and added to my happiness.

Try not to eat your heaviest meal too late.

Don't hold grudges!

Again all are "tries". nobody is perfect!

Nae Jul 10th 2008 9:40PM

Wow Maria, all you left out of your nutrition novel is the chapter titled: Drink plenty of water!

Blanche Jul 10th 2008 9:43PM

Any state that has rice, potatoes, or beans as their main staple is going to have weight or cholesterol issues. That would be any southern state, Hawaii, or any state that has a large number of Asian or Hispanic population. Rice, potatoes, and beans are bad for people. They raise cholesterol, and they are fattening.

Sasha Jul 10th 2008 11:28PM

Just for the record, cholesterol ONLY comes from animal products. Rice, potatoes, and beans are starches which do not have cholesterol. Now, if you meant carbohydrates, then you are right.

Patel Jul 11th 2008 2:58AM

Blanche,
you don't know what you are talking about. Beans are one of the
best foods you can eat. They are high in protein, low in fat, high
in fiber, and have a ton of vitimins, minerals, and amino acids.
Same goes for rice, but only BROWN rice. Potatoes can be OK in
your diet if you don't load them up with stuff.

William Jul 16th 2008 3:24AM

Youn may want to consult with a registered dietician before making incorrect statements such as this one. But, I am curious about how you came about this brilliant yet wrong conclusion. Is it because of all the fat Asian people you know? Here is a simple assignment for you; do a Google search for the lifespan statistics of the Japanese, whom as you correctly state, eat rice as a dietary mainstay. Correct statistic, incorrect conclusion. Still, I am not insulting you or calling you names. I do not think you are a moron or an a**hole, you are just wrong. Everyone makes mistakes, we should try to learn from said mistakes, that is called education. Nothing wrong with that!