Special Report

Least Obese County in Every State

More than 90 million American adults are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is a risk factor for such conditions as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes and is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

Obesity rates have been on the rise in the United States for years, and they tend to be higher in some states than in others. In eight states — most of which are in the South — more than one in every three adults are obese. Still, in every state, there is at least one county where adults are more likely to maintain a healthy weight than the typical American adult.

Using data from the CDC, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the share of obese adults — defined as having a body mass index of at least 30.0 — to indentify the least obese county in every state.

Adult obesity has a wide range of causes and is usually the product of a combination of factors, including genetic predisposition and the effects of certain medication, as well as dietary patterns and physical activity. In addition to a healthy, well-balanced diet, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends 2.5 hours of moderate activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, in addition to two days of strength training per week in order to help maintain a healthy weight.

The appropriate amount of exercise may vary from person to person, however, and those who do not want to sacrifice rich, high-calorie foods may need to exercise considerably more. This is how long you need to exercise to burn off the calories from your favorite foods.

One of the strongest predictors of the likelihood of obesity, and healthy outcomes in general, is income. Wealthier Americans can afford a wider range of healthy options related to diet and lifestyle, and as a result they typically report better than average health outcomes. In fact, the majority of counties on this list have a higher median household income than their home state overall. Here is a list of the richest county in every state.

Click here to see the least obese county in every state.
Click here to see our methodology.

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