How Obese Are We, Minnesota?

It’s no surprise to hear that obesity is an epidemic in the United States. Our super-busy, fast food-rich lifestyles, coupled with many people’s lack of exercise, has led us to a point where being overweight is all-too-common.

A recent report from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index took a look at obesity in the United States, breaking it down by state to find out which ones were the most- and least-obese.

Overall, the report concludes that the obesity rate in the U.S. is the highest it has been since the study began back in 2008. The rate rose to 27.7% for 2014, up from 27.1% the year before. The initial 2008 study found the national obesity rate to be 25.5%.

So, just how obese is Minnesota as a state? When you consider how hard it can be to exercise during the long winter months, and our state’s love of a good hotdish, you might think that we fared pretty poorly. But, actually, Minnesota has the ninth lowest obesity rate in the country!

Perhaps all that shivering we do during the winter helps us to keep those pounds off? Or maybe the challenge of getting to the gym during certain parts of the year makes us much more intentional about it? In any case, our great state can be proud to be in pretty good shape!

As for a few of our neighbors? Well, they don’t fare quite as well. Wisconsin ranks at 38 on the obesity scale, while Iowa is rated number 42. And the state with the highest rate of obesity in the country? For the second year in a row, that dubious distinction goes to… Mississippi. In fact, the seven most obese states in the country are all located in the Southeast.

Here's the complete map showing how each state ranks in obesity.