Report ranks nation's 20 most overweight and obese states as doctors warn of diabetes risks

Just in time for National Diabetes Awareness Month, a new study has identified the 20 states that rank with the highest number of overweight and obese residents. 

Big picture view:

A WalletHub report compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 31 metrics to determine which states struggle most at losing weight. Data examined included the share of obese and overweight people living in each state, sugary-beverage consumption among adolescents and obesity-related healthcare costs. 

By the numbers:

The report found West Virginia had the highest percentage of obese adults. Colorado, the state with the lowest percentage, is 1.7 times lower than West Virginia’s total. Mississippi ranked second-most overweight or obese, followed by Arkansas, Louisiana and Alabama.

West Virginia

"West Virginia is the most overweight state overall. A whopping 42% of the state’s adults are classified as obese, and nearly 32% are overweight but not obese," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said. 

It also ranks some of the highest rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, heart attacks and high cholesterol, conditions that are linked with obesity. 

Obesity-linked health issues cost the state an estimated $58 million each year.

Lupo said the state’s sugary beverage consumption rate among adolescents is the highest in the nation and only about 41% of the population lives near a healthy food retailer, the sixth-lowest percentage in the nation. He said the state also has the sixth-highest rate of physically inactive adults and the second-fewest fitness centers per capita.

Mississippi

Mississippi ranked as the second-most overweight state, with 40.6% of adults being obese and an additional 31.9% classified as overweight but not obese. The state has the highest obesity rate for children 10-17 and the second-highest rate for high school teens. 

The Magnolia State has some of the highest rates of hypertension and stroke in the nation. The economic impact of weight-related health issues totals about $56 million annually.

Arkansas 

Approximately 34% of adults in the state are overweight but an additional 39.5% rank as obese. The state has the fourth-highest share of adults who eat less than one serving of vegetables per day, and the highest for fruit. It also has the fourth-highest consumption of sugary beverages among adolescents and the 10th-lowest share of population living within a walkable distance of a healthy food retailer. 

What they're saying:

People who are overweight can take measures to prevent severe health complications. 

"Get your numbers checked: blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. You can't fix what you're not measuring," Lynn University Associate Professor Andrew Burnstine Ph.D. said. "Then set a goal you can actually hit. CDC says losing even 5 to 10 percent of your body weight is likely to improve blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. If you weigh 200 pounds, that's 10 pounds."

Southeast Missouri State University instructor Scott Thorne, Ph.D. warned people looking to start a weight loss plan to discuss it with their doctor, not "Drs. Google or TikTok." 

"Most people offering weight loss advice are trying to sell you something," he said.

Why you should care:

November is National Diabetes Month, designed to raise awareness about diabetes, its causes and how to prevent it.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that 1 in 8 Americans have diabetes and most of them have Type 2 diabetes, which happens when the body cannot use insulin correctly and sugar builds up in the blood.   

Many adults who are obese have other serious chronic conditions. The CDC says 58% of U.S. adults with obesity have high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. Approximatealy 23% of U.S. adults with obesity have diabetes. 

Over time, high blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart.

The increase in the number of children with obesity has led to more young people with type 2 diabetes.

Approximately 12% of Americans live with diabetes and some 1.5 million are diagnosed each year. But the American Diabetes Association says 115 million American adults are living with prediabetes, a potentially reversible condition, but many may not know they are in that danger zone. 

What you can do:

While there is no cure for type 2 diabetes, losing weight, eating well and exercising can help manage the condition. If diet and exercise aren't enough to manage blood sugar, diabetes medicines or insulin therapy may also help.

Burnstine urged people to walk every day, sleep more, keep up with medical checkups, and discuss every option with their doctor. 

"There's no prize for doing it the hard way," he said.

But, he says, don’t try to do it too fast.

"The crash diet always looks great for a month. Then real life shows up," he said.

 

Health