Kentucky and Indiana Rank Among Top 10 Most Obese State in the US

Maybe it's time for Kentucky and Indiana to cut back on the delicious fried food because we found ourselves near the top of a list that we don't want to be on.

We live in a world now where most people are more health conscious than they were twenty years ago, and for good reason. We only get one life, one body. It's best to take care of it the best you can. This is especially true when it comes to the food that we eat. Now look, I'll be the first to admit that fried food and Hamburger Helper are delicious, and I eat more of it than I probably should. The older I get, the more I realize that I can't eat like I used to back in the day. It used to be, that I could eat all of that food that I wanted and not gain a pound. Now, it seems like I eat it once in a blue moon and I gain five pounds. That's where obesity kicks in.

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I find a lot of interesting content on the website, 24/7 Wall St. Recently I discovered an article about the Most Obese States in America. Before we dive into that, one interesting thing that was mentioned in that article is that obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. It ranks as the second most significant preventable cause of death after smoking. That's pretty scary. As hard as it is to give up some of your favorite foods, it might be a wise decision for you in the long run. I think we all know the dangers that come with obesity, and they're not good.

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This brings me to the Most Obese States in America. According to 24/7 Wall St.:

To determine the most obese states, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on obesity from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program’s <a href="https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/" target="_blank">2023 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps</a> report. States were ranked based on the prevalence of self-reported obesity among adults 20 years and older – with obesity being defined as having a body mass index of 30.0 and above.

As it turns out, southern states have the highest obesity rates, whereas the lowest rates are found in the West and Northeast regions. So, what does that mean for Indiana and Kentucky? Well, the results aren't in our favor...

Where Does Kentucky Rank Among the Most Obese States in America?

Sadly, both states have found themselves in the top ten most obese states. Here's the data that 24/7 Wall St. found for Kentucky and Indiana:

9. Kentucky
> Adult obesity rate: 37.00%
> Adults who don’t exercise regularly: 29.30% — the highest
> Adults who have diabetes: 11.40% — 10th highest
> Adults who report being in poor or fair health: 19.50% — 2nd highest

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7. Indiana
> Adult obesity rate: 37.20%
> Adults who don’t exercise regularly: 25.60% — 9th highest
> Adults who have diabetes: 10.50% — 17th highest
> Adults who report being in poor or fair health: 15.10% — 13th highest

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Again, this isn't where either state wants to find themselves on this list. Some lifestyle changes could not only put the states in a better position, as well as putting each individual in a healthier state. Now, I'm not saying that I'll stop eating Hamburger Helper or Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes altogether, but over the past couple of years, I have cut back drastically and have noticed a big difference in my weight. I'm also not one to tell anyone how to live their life. However, it's pretty much understood that cutting out some of those unhealthy foods from your daily life will lead to a healthier lifestyle. The choice is ultimately yours.