Fat Rankings....! By Art Rothafel

Aug. 19, 2008 -- Yikes... the country is fatter than ever!  You can see why I continually point out that there has never been a better time to be a fitness professional (think education).  Our mega-media, instant gratification, undisciplined society is just pumping out new fat people by the millions! 

Among the findings....

• Number of states in which adult obesity rates went up: 37
• Number of states in which adult obesity rates went down: 0
• Number of states in which adult obesity rates went up for the third year in a row: 19
• Percentage of population that is obese in Colorado, this year's least obese state: 18.4
• Percentage of population that was obese in the four most obese states in 1991: 15% to 20%
• Number of states in which at least 1 in 4 adults is obese: 28
• Number of states in which at least 1 in 5 adults was obese in 1991: 0

Find your state's ranking (includes Washington D.C.)

Alabama: Rank, 3 -- 30.1% of adults obese

Alaska: Rank, 14 -- 27.3% of adults obese

Arizona: Rank, 38 -- 23.3% of adults obese

Arkansas: Rank, 8 -- 28.1% of adults obese

California: Rank, 41 -- 23.1% of adults obese

Colorado: Rank, 51 -- 18.4% of adults obese

Connecticut: Rank, 49 -- 20.8% of adults obese

Delaware: Rank, 21 -- 25.9% of adults obese

D.C.: Rank, 43 -- 22.1% of adults obese

Florida: Rank, 38 -- 23.3% of adults obese

Georgia: Rank, 11 (tied with Indiana) -- 27.5% of adults obese

Hawaii: Rank, 50 -- 20.7% of adults obese

Idaho: Rank, 31 -- 24.6% of adults obese

Illinois: Rank, 26 -- 25.3% of adults obese

Indiana: Rank, 11 (tied with Georgia) -- 27.5% of adults obese

Iowa: Rank, 19 -- 26.3% of adults obese

Kansas: Rank, 23 -- 25.8% of adults obese

Kentucky: Rank, 7 -- 28.4% of adults obese

Louisiana: Rank, 4 -- 29.5% of adults obese

Maine: Rank, 34 -- 23.7% of adults obese

Maryland: Rank, 27 -- 25.2% of adults obese

Massachusetts: Rank, 48 -- 20.9% of adults obese

Michigan: Rank, 10 -- 27.7% of adults obese

Minnesota: Rank, 30 -- 24.8% of adults obese

Mississippi: Rank, 1 -- 31.7% of adults obese

Missouri: Rank, 13 -- 27.4% of adults obese

Montana: Rank, 45 -- 21.7% of adults obese

Nebraska: Rank, 18 -- 26.5% of adults obese

Nevada: Rank, 35 -- 23.6% of adults obese

New Hampshire: Rank, 35 -- 23.6% of adults obese

New Jersey: Rank, 42 -- 22.9% of adults obese

New Mexico: Rank, 38 -- 23.3% of adults obese

New York: Rank, 37 -- 23.5% of adults obese

North Carolina: Rank, 16 -- 27.1% of adults obese

North Dakota: Rank, 21 -- 25.9% of adults obese

Ohio: Rank, 17 -- 26.9% of adults obese

Oklahoma: Rank, 8 -- 28.1% of adults obese

Oregon: Rank, 29 -- 25.0% of adults obese

Pennsylvania: Rank, 24 -- 25.7% of adults obese

Rhode Island: Rank, 46 -- 21.4% of adults obese

South Carolina: Rank, 5 -- 29.2% of adults obese

South Dakota: Rank, 20 -- 26.1% of adults obese

Tennessee: Rank, 6 -- 29.0% of adults obese

Texas: Rank, 15 -- 27.2% of adults obese

Utah: Rank, 44 -- 21.8% of adults obese

Vermont: Rank, 47 -- 21.1% of adults obese

Virginia: Rank, 27 -- 25.2% of adults obese

Washington: Rank, 32 -- 24.5% of adults obese

West Virginia: Rank, 2 -- 30.6% of adults obese

Wisconsin: Rank, 25 -- 25.5% of adults obese

Wyoming: Rank, 33 -- 24.0% of adults obese

Source:  "F" as in Fat:  Trust for America's Health:  Senior author of the report is Jeffrey Levi, PhD, executive director of Trust for America's Health and associate professor of health policy at George Washington University School of Public Health.