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Mississippi Is Now The Most Obese State

The adult obesity rate has swelled past 30 percent in 12 states, led by Mississippi, according to a new analysis by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust for America’s Health. Mississippi has the highest rate at 34.9 percent, while Colorado was lowest at 20.7 percent. Twenty-six of the 30 states with the highest obesity rates are in the Midwest and South, with Louisiana, West Virginia, and Alabama trailing Mississippi. About 80 percent of Americans think obesity is a serious problem, according to a recent Gallup poll. A report will be released later this summer projecting the likely rise in obesity-related disease rates and health care costs down the road.

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