Texas ranks eighth among the nation’s 50 states in obesity, according to a new WalletHub analysis of adult weight data, highlighting a growing health concern across the Lone Star State.
This study evaluated states on three major factors, including obesity and overweight prevalence, health consequences, and food and fitness, which helped determine the rankings.
Texas received an overall score of 65.94 in this study, which is only slightly behind Kentucky for the seventh spot on this list.
WalletHub analysis determined that West Virginia was the most obese state in the country, with an overall score of 75.24, followed by Mississippi with a score of 73.56 and Arkansas with a score of 70.19.
Although Texas is not the most obese state in the country, the rankings suggest that residents face lifestyle and environmental challenges that contribute to higher weight levels.
These rankings included Texas being slotted at 11th for the percentage of overweight adults, 25th for the percentage of obese adults, 16th for the percentage of overweight children, and 6th for the percentage of obese children, according to a release sent to The Dallas Express.
Additionally, the Lone Star State ranked 7th for the percentage of physically inactive adults and 12th for the percentage of adults consuming fewer than one serving of fruits/vegetables per day.
This study also highlighted the high number of health concerns that Texas adults deal with, as the state ranked 18th for the percentage of adults with high cholesterol, 9th for the percentage of adults with Type 2 Diabetes, and 24th for the percentage of adults with hypertension.
Chip Lupo, a WalletHub Analyst, explained that weight management can stem from a variety of factors, with each factor playing a different role depending on specific circumstances.
“While losing weight largely hinges on whether an individual chooses to eat healthy foods, limit their calorie intake and exercise consistently, certain states make shedding the pounds easier than others. For example, some states are much better at regulating school lunches to make sure they are healthy, and have more opportunities for adults to buy fresh, nutritious ingredients. In addition, while anyone can exercise at home, some states provide far more locations for people to go to work out or play sports.”
In addition to Texas ranking near the top of the obesity rankings, multiple cities throughout the Lone Star State are ranked near the top of WalletHub’s “Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S.” list.
This study, which analyzed cities based on similar factors, determined that McAllen, Texas, is the most obese city in the state with an overall score of 84.90.
Meanwhile, Dallas ranked as the 24th most obese city in the country with an overall score of 77.53.