2021’s Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S.

In the United States 36.5 percent of adults are obese. Another 32.5 percent of American adults are overweight. In all, more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese.

Obesity is a complex health issue resulting from a combination of causes and individual factors such as behavior and genetics. Behaviors can include physical activity, inactivity, dietary patterns, medication use, and other exposures. Additional contributing factors include the food and physical activity environment, education and skills, and food marketing and promotion.

With March being National Nutrition Month and obesity possibly tripling the risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2021's Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S.

In order to call attention to the communities where weight-related problems are most prevalent, they compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 19 key metrics. Their data set ranges from the share of physically inactive adults to projected obesity rates by 2030 to healthy-food access.

Key Stats

• The McAllen, Texas, metro area has the highest share of obese adults, 44.90 percent, which is 2.4 times higher than in Asheville, North Carolina, the metro area with the lowest at 18.50 percent.
• The McAllen, Texas, metro area has the highest share of physically inactive adults, 36.90 percent, which is 2.2 times higher than in Provo-Orem, Utah, the metro area with the lowest at 16.50 percent.
• The El Paso, Texas, metro area has the highest share of diabetic adults, 14.60 percent, which is 2.3 times higher than in Denver, the metro area with the lowest at 6.40 percent.
• The Jackson, Mississippi, metro area has the highest share of adults with high blood pressure, 40.60 percent, which is 1.8 times higher than in San Jose, California, the metro area with the lowest at 22.80 percent.

WalletHub Q & A

What are some tips for eating healthy without breaking the bank?

“I feel at times we make eating healthy so complicated and expensive,” said Jody Vogelzang, PhD, RDN, FADA, FAND, CHES, Grand Valley State University. “I like to think more simply, you do not need to buy solely organic or to shop at high price natural grocery stores to eat healthy. Eat fruits and vegetables in season whenever possible. When not in season rely on frozen or low sodium canned vegetables. Stock your pantry with beans (garbanzo, pinto, black, cannellini, kidney), lentils, and whole grains. Use the web to find interesting and easy vegetarian recipes; pair up a bean with whole grain or rice for a hearty dinner. Try your hand at soups and stews. They make good leftovers and can be stretched with an extra can of beans or tomatoes.”

“Preparing meals at home is a great start to healthy eating in a cost-effective way,” said Keith Pearson, PhD, RD, LD, Samford University and Diana Romanach, Samford University. “Meals from restaurants or fast food places can quickly add up and are frequently not as nutritious as home-cooked food. Planning a week’s worth of meals and going to the grocery store with a clear shopping list is a great way to not overspend and avoid purchasing unnecessary items that may go to waste. Additionally, focusing on seasonal produce, items that are on sale, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, and store brand products are also strategies you can use to eat healthy for less. Lastly, cooking a meatless meal once or twice a week with lower cost, plant-based items such as beans or lentils can make for both a nutritious and low-cost dish.”

What are the biggest mistakes people make when trying to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle?

“In my opinion, the biggest mistake people make when trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle is that they try to make too many changes at one time – and that becomes overwhelming,” said Carol A. Friesen, PhD, RDN, LD, Ball State University.” Success is achieved (and maintained) if you start slow and then add healthy steps one at a time. It is an old – but true – saying: When it comes to changing one’s diet and exercise habits -- Slow and steady wins the race! Another common problem is that people often lack personal forgiveness. No one is perfect all of the time. If you step off the healthy eating train for an afternoon or a day or a week, you simply must step back on. Forgive yourself and step back on! “

“Sit around,” said Joanne Slavin, PhD, RDN, University of Minnesota. “If you never move, you need very few calories. So if you are inactive, you will likely become overweight, and micromanaging your diet will likely not bring you much success. Manage your weight like you should manage your finances - do not let it get out of control. Calories count, but we are each given a genetic body type and life is not fair. So embrace yourself and remember that calorie control is mostly behavioral - all the nutrition information in the world will not make you healthy.’

What policies should government pursue to fight obesity and lower the cost of health care?

“In my opinion, one of the best ways to help combat obesity is for insurance companies and local lawmakers to support affordable access to dietitians,” Melinda Boyd, DCN, MPH, MHR, RD, FAND, Cedar Crest College. “If more policymakers understood what dietitians do, including our training and role as healthcare professionals, they may be more likely to support policies that allow better access to dietitians. This includes healthcare coverage for seeing dietitians since that is something poorly covered at this time. Those who might benefit most from a dietitian cannot typically afford to pay out of pocket. More support of health promotion programs than treating health issues after they occur would be desirable. Even something as simple as park access with walking and bike trails that are well maintained and free to use.”

“This is a really big question and could not possibly be answered in a few short paragraphs, however, with regards to the government, there are multiple potential opportunities to combat obesity,” said Corinne Kohlen, MS, RD, CDCES CNSC, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. “As a teacher, I of course believe in education and know that nutrition education is most effective if started at a young age and continued as a child develops. Nutrition education can be incorporated into existing curriculums and be taught as part of science, math, chemistry, history, even psychology or sociology classes. Government funding for the education of young children up through high school is imperative to create food literacy. If local and state governments help fund cooking classrooms in schools, students will learn how to prepare and cook foods, and these skills can be passed on for generations. State governments should also allow schools to bring back playtime and physical education classes. Unfortunately, much of the focus of the state has been student performance on academic testing, and active playtime, PE, and recess have been shortened in a lot of schools, reducing the opportunity for students to burn calories while having fun, and increasing the time that students are sitting at their desks and sedentary.”

“At a federal level, subsidizing healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and non-processed lean proteins, and increasing access for food-insecure families to these foods would be beneficial. While the obesity epidemic affects all types of people, often those with lower socioeconomic status are disproportionately affected, and sometimes these families live in “food deserts” where the nearest real grocery store is far away. While a more controversial topic, I do believe that taxing less healthy foods such as soda, chips, or candy, could reduce the consumption and attractiveness of those foods, and the tax revenue could be used to fund obesity prevention programs, build parks or bike lanes or subsidize healthier options.”

To read the full report and your city’s rank, please visit:

https://wallethub.com/edu/fattest-cities-in-america/1053

Courtesy: WalletHub