Ohio among the most obese and overweight states in America, new study reveals

CLEVELAND — As I eat this Twinkie on my desk, it is my job to now inform you that the Buckeye State is still among the fattest in the nation. 

According to a new study put out by WalletHub, Ohio ranks at No. 13 in the list of the most obese and overweight states in the U.S. for 2022.

In the study, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions: obesity and overweight prevalence; health consequences; and food and fitness. They evaluated those dimensions using 31 relevant metrics that included share of obese and overweight population, to sugary-beverage consumption among adolescents, to obesity-related health care costs.

Ohio ranked No. 1 in the highest percentage of overweight children in the nation, No. 9 highest percentage of obese adults, and No. 11 in percentage of adults with hypertension.

Here are 2022's Most Overweight & Obese States in the U.S.:

1. West Virginia
2. Mississippi
3. Kentucky
4. Arkansas
5. Alabama
6. Tennessee
7. Louisiana
8. Delaware
9. Oklahoma
10. South Carolina
11. Georgia
12. Texas
13. Ohio
14. Missouri
15. North Carolina

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than seven in 10 U.S. adults aged 20 and older are either overweight or obese. Meanwhile, recent findings by the Physical Activity Council revealed that 72.2 million Americans aged 6 and older were completely inactive in 2021. 

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