States with Highest Male Obesity Rates: West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Louisiana #1-5
Wisconsin revealed as having the fourth-highest male obesity rate in the US
- Wisconsin has been identified as the fourth state reporting the most men classified as obese, with 38% having a BMI of 30.0 or higher.
- 32.6% of men in the US have a BMI of 30.0 or higher based on reported height and weight.
- Colorado is the state where adult male obesity rates are the lowest, with only 24.9% reporting a BMI of 30.0 or above.
New research has named the states facing the highest obesity rates among men, with Wisconsin ranking fourth among states where it is the biggest problem.
Story credit: https://flexfitnessapp.com
The study, conducted by free fitness app Flex AI, analyzed data from America’s Health Rankings to find the percentage of adult males with a body mass index of 30.0 or higher, to identify the states where this is the biggest issue.
The American obesity epidemic has been growing over the past decade as the country increasingly struggles with weight management.
Obesity can lead to a multitude of severe medical conditions, such as heart disease and stroke, which can impact life expectancy.
According to the findings, Wisconsin men are battling obesity the fourth most, with 38% of men in this weight class, compared to the rate of 32.6% across the nation.
It is of similar concern for women, with 41.6% of women in Wisconsin having a BMI of 30.0 or above, suggesting that any measures being implemented to tackle this need to equally target both sexes.
West Virginia has the biggest problem with obesity among men, with 41.6% of men facing this health issue.
In second is Kentucky, with male obesity levels at 38.7% of men living in the state classified as obese.
The 10 states with the highest adult male obesity rates
|
Rank
|
State
|
Percentage of adult males reporting a BMI of 30.0 or higher
|
|
1.
|
West Virginia
|
41.6%
|
|
2.
|
Kentucky
|
38.7%
|
|
3.
|
Oklahoma
|
38.4%
|
|
4.
|
Wisconsin
|
38.0%
|
|
5.
|
Louisiana
|
37.6%
|
|
6.
|
Ohio
|
37.2%
|
|
7. (=)
|
Mississippi
|
37.0%
|
|
7. (=)
|
North Dakota
|
37.0%
|
|
8. (=)
|
Indiana
|
36.6%
|
|
8. (=)
|
South Dakota
|
36.6%
|
|
9. (=)
|
Alabama
|
35.8%
|
|
9. (=)
|
Iowa
|
35.8%
|
|
10. (=)
|
Delaware
|
35.3%
|
|
10. (=)
|
Arkansas
|
35.3%
|
At the other end of the scale, obesity among men is of least concern in Colorado, as only 24.9% of men have a BMI of 30.0 or higher.
Vermont has the second lowest percentage of adult males classified as obese at 26%.
Hawaii has the third lowest male obesity rate, with 27.1% of men considered to be in this weight bracket.
The 10 states with the lowest adult male obesity rates
|
Rank
|
State
|
Percentage of adult males reporting a BMI of 30.0 or higher
|
|
1.
|
Colorado
|
24.9%
|
|
2.
|
Vermont
|
26.0%
|
|
3.
|
Hawaii
|
27.1%
|
|
4.
|
Massachusetts
|
28.0%
|
|
5.
|
California
|
28.4%
|
|
6.
|
Rhode Island
|
29.8%
|
|
7.
|
New York
|
29.9%
|
|
8.
|
New Hampshire
|
30.2%
|
|
9.
|
Montana
|
30.3%
|
|
10.
|
Connecticut
|
30.4%
|
Commenting on the findings, Amin Niri, CEO of Flex AI, says:
“The US is one of the most obese countries in the world, with its ranking significantly higher when focusing on high-income countries.
“While numerous factors play a part in this, the large portion sizes consumed by many Americans and inactive lifestyles are largely responsible.
“The combination of a higher calorie intake with less movement to burn through the excess inevitably results in weight gain.
“It is recommended adults engage in moderate aerobic activity for at least 150 minutes a week or vigorous aerobic activity for at least 75 minutes.
“Small changes in your routine can help you achieve this without drastically altering your lifestyle. For example, you can do a 20-minute workout before getting ready for the day or go for a walk after you finish work when the weather is nice.”
ENDS
Sources:
Methodology:
Data was gathered from America’s Health Rankings, which provided nationwide and state-specific data on obesity rates in the US. The obesity rates for adult males were determined by the percentage of adult males with a body mass index of 30.0 or higher based on reported height and weight on a national and state-specific level, as well as by gender.
States ranked by percentage of adult males reporting BMI of 30 or higher
|
Rank
|
State
|
Percentage of adult males reporting a BMI of 30.0 or higher
|
|
1.
|
West Virginia
|
41.6%
|
|
2.
|
Kentucky
|
38.7%
|
|
3.
|
Oklahoma
|
38.4%
|
|
4.
|
Wisconsin
|
38.0%
|
|
5.
|
Louisiana
|
37.6%
|
|
6.
|
Ohio
|
37.2%
|
|
7. (=)
|
Mississippi
|
37.0%
|
|
7. (=)
|
North Dakota
|
37.0%
|
|
8. (=)
|
Indiana
|
36.6%
|
|
8. (=)
|
South Dakota
|
36.6%
|
|
9. (=)
|
Alabama
|
35.8%
|
|
9. (=)
|
Iowa
|
35.8%
|
|
10. (=)
|
Delaware
|
35.3%
|
|
10. (=)
|
Arkansas
|
35.3%
|
|
11.
|
Missouri
|
35.0%
|
|
11.
|
Nebraska
|
35.2%
|
|
12.
|
Tennessee
|
35.1%
|
|
13.
|
Kansas
|
34.7%
|
|
14.
|
Minnesota
|
34.6%
|
|
15.
|
Texas
|
34.4%
|
|
16. (=)
|
Virginia
|
34.2%
|
|
16. (=)
|
Wyoming
|
34.2%
|
|
17.
|
Georgia
|
34.1%
|
|
18. (=)
|
Michigan
|
33.4%
|
|
18. (=)
|
Idaho
|
33.4%
|
|
19.
|
South Carolina
|
32.80%
|
|
20.
|
Arizona
|
32.7%
|
|
21.
|
Maine
|
32.6%
|
|
22. (=)
|
Pennsylvania
|
32.4%
|
|
22. (=)
|
New Mexico
|
32.4%
|
|
22. (=)
|
Florida
|
32.4%
|
|
23.
|
North Carolina
|
32.1%
|
|
24.
|
Nevada
|
31.9%
|
|
25.
|
Utah
|
31.7%
|
|
26.
|
Washington
|
31.6%
|
|
27.
|
Maryland
|
31.5%
|
|
28.
|
Alaska
|
31.2%
|
|
29.
|
Illinois
|
31.0%
|
|
30.
|
New Jersey
|
30.7%
|
|
31.
|
Oregon
|
30.5%
|
|
32.
|
Connecticut
|
30.4%
|
|
33.
|
Montana
|
30.3%
|
|
34.
|
New Hampshire
|
30.2%
|
|
35.
|
New York
|
29.9%
|
|
36.
|
Rhode Island
|
29.8%
|
|
37.
|
California
|
28.4%
|
|
38.
|
Massachusetts
|
28.0%
|
|
39.
|
Hawaii
|
27.1%
|
|
40.
|
Vermont
|
26.0%
|
|
41.
|
Colorado
|
24.9%
|
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
