Most overweight states report: I escaped the midwest just in time
A new report from the CDC tells Americans something we already know: we're tubby. In fact, almost 70 percent of adults over the age of 20 are overweight or obese. Holy crap, 70 percent!!! That's almost all of us. Take a look at ten people around you, are seven of them obese? Not around me, but I'm in California, which apparently isn't on the top of the list of the fattest states in America.
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What are the states with the largest people in America? Those in the South, of course. And a couple in the Midwest. Go figure.
In order, the 10 fattest states in the union, are:
Mississippi
Louisiana
Tennessee
Kentucky
Oklahoma
West Virginia
Alabama
Arkansas
Missouri
Michigan & South Dakota -- tied for last
So what are all of these people eating down south and in the middle? Just one look at my family cookbook will tell you everything you need to know. A vegetable doesn't exist in that book that isn't fried or covered in cheese. The rest is all pies, cakes, and lots of recipes that include the ingredient of "shortening." Yum. And, that'll make you fat. My family proudly hails from three of the fattest states on the list: Oklahoma, Louisiana, and West Virginia. Where they like their grease.
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Of course, a lot of these states are also some of the poorest, and we all know that poverty begets obesity. Sushi is expensive. So if you're choosing between KFC's .99-cent menu and a $10 lunch, you're not heading to the Japanese restaurant when you're counting your pennies. That is, if you even have healthy options to choose from in your area. Many of these states also have a large rural population, where fresh, healthy foods are scarce. Additionally, if you're surrounded by unhealthy people, you're more likely to be unhealthy as well. Living in one of these fat states could be harming your diet.
Do you live in a fat state?
Image via shawnzrossi/Flickr
Written by April Peveteaux for CafeMom's blog, The Stir.
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