Analysts from WalletHub, a personal finance social network, have examined obesity rates and other weight-related measures across the 50 states and the District of Columbia to identify where weight problems are most prevalent and encourage Americans to rethink their lifestyles.
WalletHub's analysts used 12 metrics to identify the states with the biggest weight problems, including the percentage of adults and children who are overweight or obese, or who have high cholesterol, diabetes or hypertension.
They also looked at rates of physical inactivity, daily fruit and vegetable consumption among adults, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among adolescents and access to healthy foods.
They found the 10 states with the most weight-related health problems are:
1. Mississippi
2. Louisiana
3. West Virginia
4. Tennessee
5. South Carolina
6. Arkansas
7. Kentucky
8. Alabama
9. Oklahoma
10. North Dakota
The 10 states with the least weight-related health problems are:
1. Hawaii
3. Colorado
4. New Jersey
5. Massachusetts
6. Utah
7. Montana
8. Connecticut
9. Vermont
10. Oregon