PrintBy Shawn McKee
Staff Writer 
The South has done it again: For the third straight year, Mississippi leads the rest of the country in obesity rates, according to a recently reported telephone survey taken last year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Not to be outdone, several of the other southern states rise to the top of the list of America’s fattest cities. Mississippi sits atop the report, but is closely followed by its country-fried counterparts — Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia and Louisiana.
The CDC found all of these states weighing in with more than 30 percent of respondents reporting obese body dimensions. However, the researchers believe this is a conservative estimate since most men overstate their height and most women underestimate their weight — which are the two factors used to calculate obesity.
A study where the CDC actually measured the height and weight of participants found the obesity rate to be 34 percent nationally in 2006. While this number is high, it has leveled off over the past few years showing no significant increase, according to reports from the CDC, which is at least a little good news.
Colorado was the skinniest state again, with an obesity rate at about 19 percent — although this number is up about two percent since 2005. It’s a scary trend to see obesity becoming the norm in the land of the free and home of the brave.
As Americans become heavier, they face greater risk of health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. So, we as a nation must heed these warnings about our increasing waistlines that lead to a slippery slope of health problems that could drastically shorten American life expectancy.
Why do you think the south consistently ranks as the heaviest region in the country? How can we stop this trend? Post a comment and let us know what you think.
And, if you’re ready to make a change yourself, take the first step in becoming healthier by filling out our Free Diet Profile. You’ll learn your best eating plan, ideal fitness and more — all in about 2 minutes.
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