Obesity highest in Mississippi says CDC report, lowest in Colorado

GlobalPost

Obesity was broken down state by state in a new CDC data that found Mississippi the heaviest and Colorado the slimmest.

The data showed that over 35 percent of Mississippi residents were overweight, while in Colorado, about 20 percent of people are 30 pounds or more above normal weight.

The data is based on people self-reporting their height and weight, a tricky statistical method as people tend to underreport their weight and overreport their height.

"Overall the obesity rate remains high, and it shows that more concerted efforts need to be invested in by states to make healthy choices available," said Heidi Blanck, of the Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the CDC, reported Businessweek.

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USA Today reported that more rigorous studies by the CDC have shown that about 36 percent of all Americans are obese - a startling figure when considering the health risks of extra poundage.

The new data found that the US South was the heaviest region with Louisiana (33.4 percent); West Virginia (32.4 percent); and Alabama (32 percent)

At 31.3 percent Michigan is the outlier northern state coming in fifth, reported MedPage Today.

On the low end of the scale - literally - were states such as Hawaii, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California and the District of Columbia, all hovering in the low 20 percent range.

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