HOUSTON (KIAH) — March is National Nutrition Month, and WalletHub has released its report on 2021’s Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S.
With obesity possibly tripling the risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19, the personal-finance website is calling attention to the communities where weight-related problems are most prevalent.
It compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 19 key metrics.
Among the key stats are the share of adults who are obese, physically inactive, diabetic and suffering from high blood pressure. Here are some highlights:
- McAllen, Texas, has the highest share of obese adults, 44.90%, which is 2.4 times higher than in Asheville, North Carolina, the metro area with the lowest at 18.50%.
- McAllen also has the highest share of physically inactive adults, 36.90%, which is 2.2 times higher than in Provo-Orem, Utah, the metro area with the lowest at 16.50%.
- El Paso, Texas, has the highest share of diabetic adults, 14.60%, which is 2.3 times higher than in Denver, the metro area with the lowest at 6.40%.
- Jackson, Mississippi, has the highest share of adults with high blood pressure, 40.60%, which is 1.8 times higher than in San Jose, California, the metro area with the lowest at 22.80%.
| Fattest Cities in America | |
| 1. McAllen, TX | 11. Chattanooga, TN |
| 2. Memphis, TN | 12. Tulsa, OK |
| 3. Baton Rouge, LA | 13. Augusta, GA |
| 4. Little Rock, AR | 14. Greenville, SC |
| 5. Shreveport, LA | 15. Fayetteville, AR |
| 6. Birmingham, AL | 16. Myrtle Beach, SC |
| 7. Jackson, MS | 17. San Antonio, TX |
| 8. Mobile, AL | 18. Wichita, KS |
| 9. Lafayette, LA | 19. New Orleans, LA |
| 10. Knoxville, TN | 20. Nashville, TN |
You can read the full report on WalletHub.