Mississippi ranks #1 in U.S. obesity study

Annual study ranks Mississippi in the top spot for obesity among U.S. states. Forty-four percent of Mississippi children aged 10 to 17 classified as obese. The problem has economic roots.

The obesity epidemic rose in 23 U.S. states, according to a study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America's Health. Around 32 per cent of Mississippi residents are considered obese, and this composition places the state at the number one ranking in America. The study also found that 44 percent of Mississippi's children - aged 10-17 - are among the obese classification. "Doctors have linked obesity to increased risks of a variety of conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, arthritis and heart disease. Wednesday's study found the current U.S. economic slump could worsen the problem by putting more nutritious food out of the reach of struggling families," reported CNN. "At the same time, safety-net programs and services are becoming increasingly overextended as the numbers of unemployed, uninsured and underinsured Americans continue to grow," the report states. "For many people, too, worries over the recession are triggering increased depression, anxiety and stress, which often can be linked to obesity." The economic connection to obesity is reflected among the list of most-impacted states. The top 5 states for obesity are: Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina. States with the lowest obesity incidence were: Colorado, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Hawaii. "While deep-fried Southern cooking is legendary, Mississippi also ranks high in poverty statistics and low in education -- two factors commonly related to obesity," CNN reported. Dr. Ed Thompson, Mississippi's state health officer, told CNN, "We do see obesity among people who are in lower socioeconomic levels, but we see it in higher socioeconomic levels as well. Being poor does not not make you obese, and being rich does not make you thin." 31 states are now reporting obesity rates over 25 percent. No state topped 20 percent in 1991, according to the survey's authors.