These States Now Have the Highest Obesity Rates in the U.S.

According to U.S. News, Indiana and several neighboring states have the highest adult obesity rates in 2024.

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I’ve watched a lot of My 600-Lb. Life over the years. If you’ve never seen it, the TLC reality show follows the medical journeys of morbidly obese people as they attempt to shed weight and save themselves from an early grave. Dr. Now helps these patients on their journey and is about as blunt as they come. Every time I reach for some sweets, I can’t help but hear Dr. Now’s iconic quotes, like “Do you look like you’re malnourished?” or “Why do you eat so much?”

There is a lot of emotion in that show, and while it’s easy to make jokes, many of the folks are working really hard to better themselves. We all have our own struggles in life, and some of the stories on the show are truly inspiring, to say the least. Truth be told, obesity is no joke. In fact, according to U.S. News, the American obesity epidemic costs the U.S. health care system approximately $173 billion each year. The issue is more prominent in some states than in others.

Obesity Rates in the Tri-State Area

U.S. News has assessed adult obesity rates across all 50 states using self-reported survey data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a collaboration between the CDC and state health departments. The research found that many of the states with the highest levels of obesity also perform poorly in the overall health care rankings.

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In 2024, Kentucky has an obesity rate of 37.8%, placing it among the states with the largest obese populations. Indiana is also high on the list, with an obesity rate of 37.9%. Neighboring Ohio has an even higher rate, at 38.0%. Definitely not something I wanted to hear as a Midwest native, but as someone who has also struggled with their own weight over the years, I get it. Still, it’s a problem that we should all be working to solve.

10 States with the Highest Obesity Rates

Obesity has been linked to a range of serious health problems. U.S. News reports that some of the more serious conditions include diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. These states are now at the center of the U.S. obesity epidemic:

1. West Virginia (41.3%)
2. Oklahoma (40.3%)
3. Louisiana (40.0%)
4. Mississippi (39.7%)
5. Tennessee (39.1%)
6. Ohio (38.0%)
7. Alabama (37.9%)
8. Indiana (37.9%)
9. Delaware (37.8%)
10. Kentucky (37.8%)