The South might have some trouble rising ever again if it continues getting any fatter.
A joint project between the Trust For America’s Health and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released their “State of Obesity” in America report for 2015 and the Body Mass Index (BMI) for most Southern states is off the charts.
Of course, some would argue the BMI is a horrible methodology for determining if someone is obese or not. For instance, John Cena is 6 feet, 1 inch and 251 pounds. His BMI is 33.1, which is considered “obese” by the US National Institute of Health. Even The Rock at 6’4″, 260 pounds has an obese BMI of 31.6. So, maybe you should go by body fat percentage and not BMI.
Here’s the snapshot synopsis from the project’s official site:
“According to the most recent data, adult obesity rates now exceed 35 percent in four states, 30 percent in 25 states and are above 20 percent in all states. Louisiana has the highest adult obesity rate at 36.2 percent and Colorado has the lowest at 20.2 percent. U.S. adult obesity rates decreased in four states (Minnesota, Montana, New York and Ohio), increased in two (Kansas and Kentucky) and remained stable in the rest, between 2014 and 2015. This marks the first time in the past decade that any states have experienced decreases — aside from a decline in Washington, D.C. in 2010.”
Unless you’re on meth or heroine, I don’t know how you don’t get crazy fat in Louisiana. The food there is like meth or heroine.
I could totally see Colorado being lean AF. I went to a concert at Red Rocks and I had to climb a f*cking mountain to get to my seats. While I was hitting the oxygen tank, there were ultra marathon-running stoners leaping up the steps. Being a mile high while being a mile high has done wonders for the body.
More findings can be found below:
- In 1991, no state had a rate above 20 percent.
- 9 of the 11 states with the highest obesity rates are in the South and 22 of the 25 states with the highest rates of obesity are in the South and Midwest.
- 10 of the 12 states with the highest rates of diabetes are in the South.
- American Indian/Alaska Natives have an adult obesity rate of 42.3 percent.
- Adult obesity rates are at or above 40 percent for Blacks in 14 states.
- Adult obesity rates are at or above 30 percent in: 40 states and Washington, D.C. for Blacks; 29 states for Latinos; and 16 states for Whites.
You can find more in-depth data here and you can see Matt Keohan freaking out about last year’s graphic here.
Via AskMen