South Not the Fattest Part of U.S. After All

[n2doc]

Apr. 11, 2013 — It goes against popular belief, but a recent study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) shows that the southern region of the United States is not the fattest part of the country.

"The obesity epidemic is overwhelming the U.S., and there's this strong perception that Mississippi and Alabama are number one and number two in obesity -- fighting for last place," said George Howard, Dr.P.H., professor in the Department of Biostatistics in the UAB School of Public Health.

Howard said that according to data from the long-running REGARDS (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke) study, the West North Central part of the country, which includes North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, is the fattest area -- with a 41 percent obese population. These findings were recently published online by the journal Obesity.


"We were thinking since people living in the South are generally more hypertensive and have higher rates of diabetes and stroke, it would be the fattest region," Howard explained. "But when we looked at our data, people in the South were really not the fattest."

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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130411123504.htm

[MuseRider]

1. I live in Kansas

and all you have to do is walk around to see this. I could not imagine a fatter place than here.

41%, not at all surprising. I am actually surprised it is not more.

[JDPriestly]

2. I gain weight in the winter and lose it in the summer.

That may be a natural way for the body to cope with the cold.

It gets really cold in the Northeast but it may be that people there still get out more and walk and exercise more even in the Winter than they do in the fattest states.

Exercise and being outdoors make me thinner.