Obesity has become an epidemic in America. The new Adult Obesity Prevalence Map from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in 16 states, 35% or more of the adults had obesity. Most of these states were in the South or Midwest. In some states, the figure was closer to 40%. The most obese state in America is Mississippi.
Obesity has negative health effects, increasing the risk of a range of diseases and conditions, from cardiovascular disease to Type 2 diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Obesity also has economic consequences. A CDC study put the medical costs of obesity at $147 billion per year.
Using data from the 2021 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program, 24/7 Tempo identified the most obese state in the country. States were ranked by the adult obesity rate with figures from 2017. All other data came from the CHR.
The adult obesity rate is defined as the share of adults 20 years and older who report a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher.
Though many factors, including genetics, diet, and medical conditions, contribute to increased risk of obesity, regular physical activity is one of the best ways to help maintain a healthy weight. In states where obesity is more common, the share of adults who do not exercise regularly is usually higher than the 22.7% share of adults nationwide. Similarly, states with lower obesity rates typically have more physically active populations. (These are America’s laziest states.)
While the obesity rate in states ranges from just over 22% to nearly 40%, obesity rates can be far higher more locally. In the most obese county, the adult obesity rate is close to 60%. These are America’s most obese counties.
Click here for the most obese states in the U.S.
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50. Colorado
> Adult obesity rate: 22.4%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 14.8% (the lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 6.6% (the lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.8% (9th lowest)
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49. California
> Adult obesity rate: 24.3%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 17.7% (5th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.8% (6th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.6% (22nd highest)
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48. Hawaii
> Adult obesity rate: 24.6%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 19.6% (10th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.1% (17th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.4% (18th lowest)
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47. Massachusetts
> Adult obesity rate: 25.0%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 20.0% (12th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.7% (5th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.5% (7th lowest)
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46. Connecticut
> Adult obesity rate: 26.3%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 19.9% (11th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.2% (10th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.0% (4th lowest)
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45. New York
> Adult obesity rate: 26.4%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 23.4% (19th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.1% (25th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.3% (22nd lowest)
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44. New Jersey
> Adult obesity rate: 27.0%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.6% (11th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.9% (20th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.5% (19th lowest)
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43. Utah
> Adult obesity rate: 27.0%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 16.7% (3rd lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 7.5% (2nd lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.8% (13th lowest)
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42. Vermont
> Adult obesity rate: 27.0%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 18.4% (6th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.8% (7th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.8% (the lowest)
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41. Nevada
> Adult obesity rate: 27.1%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.5% (24th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.5% (22nd highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.1% (12th highest)
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40. Montana
> Adult obesity rate: 27.1%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 21.7% (19th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.9% (8th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.1% (11th lowest)
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39. Florida
> Adult obesity rate: 27.2%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 25.8% (15th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.8% (20th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.5% (10th highest)
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38. New Mexico
> Adult obesity rate: 27.3%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 19.0% (7th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.5% (15th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.3% (9th highest)
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37. Arizona
> Adult obesity rate: 27.9%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 21.2% (17th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.6% (16th lowest — tied)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.6% (14th highest)
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36. Rhode Island
> Adult obesity rate: 28.5%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 23.5% (18th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.1% (24th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.5% (25th lowest)
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35. New Hampshire
> Adult obesity rate: 28.6%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 20.8% (16th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.6% (16th lowest — tied)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.8% (2nd lowest)
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34. Washington
> Adult obesity rate: 28.6%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 16.4% (2nd lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.3% (11th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.0% (14th lowest)
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33. Minnesota
> Adult obesity rate: 29.0%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 19.6% (9th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.5% (4th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 12.9% (3rd lowest)
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32. Idaho
> Adult obesity rate: 29.0%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 20.4% (14th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.3% (12th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.1% (15th lowest)
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31. Wyoming
> Adult obesity rate: 29.2%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 23.1% (22nd highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.0% (9th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.3% (17th lowest)
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30. Oregon
> Adult obesity rate: 29.3%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 17.3% (4th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.7% (18th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.2% (18th highest)
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29. Illinois
> Adult obesity rate: 29.7%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 21.6% (18th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.9% (19th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.9% (21st lowest)
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28. Maine
> Adult obesity rate: 29.8%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 20.8% (15th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.4% (24th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.1% (24th highest)
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27. Virginia
> Adult obesity rate: 30.5%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.2% (23rd lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.7% (21st highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.6% (25th highest)
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26. Pennsylvania
> Adult obesity rate: 30.8%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.0% (22nd lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.0% (19th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.6% (23rd highest)
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25. Texas
> Adult obesity rate: 31.4%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 23.2% (21st highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.2% (25th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.7% (13th highest)
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24. Maryland
> Adult obesity rate: 31.6%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 21.9% (20th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.1% (16th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.2% (16th lowest)
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23. Wisconsin
> Adult obesity rate: 31.7%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 20.3% (13th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.5% (14th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.8% (12th lowest)
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22. Alaska
> Adult obesity rate: 31.9%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 19.3% (8th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 8.3% (3rd lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.6% (20th lowest)
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21. Georgia
> Adult obesity rate: 32.3%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.4% (12th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.0% (12th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.4% (15th highest)
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20. North Carolina
> Adult obesity rate: 32.3%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 23.3% (20th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.5% (14th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.0% (19th highest)
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19. South Dakota
> Adult obesity rate: 32.4%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.0% (21st lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.1% (23rd lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.4% (5th lowest)
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18. Delaware
> Adult obesity rate: 32.4%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 27.3% (8th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.8% (13th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.3% (23rd lowest)
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17. Michigan
> Adult obesity rate: 32.4%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 23.1% (24th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.0% (18th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.3% (16th highest)
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16. Missouri
> Adult obesity rate: 32.5%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 25.5% (16th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 11.4% (15th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.5% (11th highest)
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15. Kansas
> Adult obesity rate: 33.0%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 23.9% (17th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.5% (23rd highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.3% (24th lowest)
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14. Tennessee
> Adult obesity rate: 33.3%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 27.2% (9th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.5% (8th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.2% (7th highest)
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13. Nebraska
> Adult obesity rate: 33.4%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.7% (25th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 10.0% (22nd lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.8% (10th lowest)
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12. Ohio
> Adult obesity rate: 33.5%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.1% (13th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.2% (10th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.8% (21st highest)
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11. North Dakota
> Adult obesity rate: 33.9%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 23.1% (23rd highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.4% (13th lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.6% (8th lowest)
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10. Indiana
> Adult obesity rate: 33.9%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.7% (10th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.1% (11th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.2% (17th highest)
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9. South Carolina
> Adult obesity rate: 34.0%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 26.0% (14th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 13.3% (5th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 17.8% (20th highest)
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8. Iowa
> Adult obesity rate: 34.3%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 22.6% (25th lowest)
> Adults with diabetes: 9.9% (21st lowest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.5% (6th lowest)
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7. Oklahoma
> Adult obesity rate: 34.5%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 27.8% (7th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.3% (9th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.9% (8th highest)
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6. Kentucky
> Adult obesity rate: 34.6%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 28.7% (4th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 12.7% (7th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.8% (4th highest)
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5. Arkansas
> Adult obesity rate: 35.0%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 30.4% (the highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 13.5% (4th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.3% (2nd highest)
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4. Alabama
> Adult obesity rate: 36.1%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 29.3% (3rd highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 14.5% (3rd highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.4% (6th highest)
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3. Louisiana
> Adult obesity rate: 36.3%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 28.0% (6th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 13.0% (6th highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.4% (5th highest)
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2. West Virginia
> Adult obesity rate: 37.8%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 28.0% (5th highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 15.1% (the highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.6% (the highest)
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1. Mississippi
> Adult obesity rate: 39.1%
> Adults who don’t exercise: 30.4% (2nd highest)
> Adults with diabetes: 14.6% (2nd highest)
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.1% (3rd highest)
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