2023 Study: Texas city ranked the fattest city in America (2024)

DALLAS (KDAF) — Looks like a city in the Lone Star State is really taking the phrase “everything’s bigger in Texas” to heart! But we don’t blame you, everything in Texas, especially the food, is very good.

WalletHub, a personal finance website, released its study on 2023’s Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S.

McAllen was ranked as the fattest city in the US in the study. Researchers looked at 19 key metrics in 100 of the nation’s most populous metro areas, from physical activity to obesity to healthy eating.

According to the study, the McAllen metro areahas the highestshare of obese adults, 44.90 percent, which is 2.4 times higher than inAsheville, North Carolina. McAllen also has the highest percentage of physically inactive adults, 36.90 percent. It’s 2.4 times higher than Provo, Utah, which has the lowest rate at 15.20 percent.

With Texas sweet tea, barbecue plus Tex-Mex food, who wouldn’t want to be the fattest when there’s so much delicious food to be had?

If you want to see the entire study, visit Wallet Hub.

2023 Study: Texas city ranked the fattest city in America (2024)

FAQs

2023 Study: Texas city ranked the fattest city in America? ›

WalletHub last week released its list of the "Most Overweight & Obese Cities in the US" for 2023, with the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan area in Texas claiming the No. 1 spot.

What is the #1 overweight city in the USA? ›

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission

What is the number 1 obese city in Texas? ›

WalletHub, a personal finance website, released its study on 2023's Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S. McAllen was ranked as the fattest city in the US in the study. Researchers looked at 19 key metrics in 100 of the nation's most populous metro areas, from physical activity to obesity to healthy eating.

How many cities in Texas are in the top 15 fattest cities? ›

Texas has 5 out of the 10 fattest cities in American with Houston as the #1 fattest city in America.

What state has the highest obesity rate? ›

US News & World Report factored CDC adult obesity rates into the outlet's annual state rankings and found that West Virginia is the most obese, with a 40.4% rate. “Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat,” according to the Mayo Clinic.

What are the top 3 obese states? ›

Obesity Statistics by State
#StateObesity Rate
1West Virginia40.6%
2Kentucky40.3%
3Alabama39.9%
4Oklahoma39.4%
46 more rows

What place is the US in obesity rate? ›

Global Obesity Levels
Global RankCountry% of Adult Population That Is Obese
12United States of America36.2%
13Jordan35.5%
14Saudi Arabia35.4%
15Qatar35.1%
124 more rows
Mar 27, 2020

What rank is Texas in obesity? ›

Texas is ranked the 12th worst in the nation with an obesity rate of 35.8%. Black people and Latinos in the state have an even higher rate compared to white people. TFAH found 39.2% of Black people are obese, 39.7% of Latinos and 32.2% of white people.

What is the most unhealthy city in Texas? ›

A recent study released by WalletHub ranked the top 100 fattest U.S. cities and put the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area at the top spot. Here is the ranking of the fattest Texas cities according to the new WalletHub study: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission (#1) San Antonio-New Braunfels (#19)

Is San Antonio the most obese city? ›

The San Antonio-New Braunfels metro area is among the U.S. cities with the highest percentage of residents who are obese or overweight, according to a WalletHub study released Monday. The region was ranked No. 9 out of the 100 most populous metro areas, the personal finance website said.

Where do most overweight people live? ›

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the most obese countries are primarily located in the Pacific and the Middle East. The Pacific island nations of Nauru, Cook Islands, and Palau have the highest rates of obesity, with over 30% of their populations being classified as obese.

What is the most densely populated city in Texas? ›

Houston (/ˈhjuːstən/ ( listen); HEW-stən) is the most populous city in Texas and in the Southern United States.

What city has the most fat? ›

Chicago has a long history of rat infestations, dating all the way back to the early 1870s. The Windy City, for the eighth year in a row, leads the nation as the most rat-infested city.

What is the unhealthiest state? ›

West Virginia

What is the healthiest state in the US? ›

States with the healthiest populations, according to the analysis:
  • Hawaii.
  • Utah.
  • Minnesota.
  • California.
  • Massachusetts.
  • Colorado.
  • Washington.
  • Connecticut.
Jan 17, 2023

What is the fittest state? ›

What are the fittest states in America? Based on our analysis, the fittest state in America is Colorado, followed by Connecticut, Vermont, Utah, and Montana.

What state has lowest obesity? ›

Colorado has lowest obesity rate, study shows
RankStateSelf-Reported Obesity Prevalence
1Colorado24.2%
2Massachusetts24.4%
3Hawaii24.5%
4Vermont26.3%
6 more rows
Sep 21, 2022

What is the least fat state? ›

The most obese state in the U.S. is Mississippi, where a whopping 39.5% of the state population is obese. The least obese state in the U.S. is Colorado, where only 23% of the state population is obese. One-third of all U.S. adults are obese.

What cause obesity? ›

Many factors can contribute to excess weight gain including eating patterns, physical activity levels, and sleep routines. Social determinants of health, genetics, and taking certain medications also play a role.

Is Mexico more obese than the US? ›

Mexico passed the United States as the most obese country in the world. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is 16.7% in preschool children, 26.2% in school children, and 30.9% in adolescents. For adults, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is 39.7 and 29.9%, respectively.

What is the difference between obesity and overweight? ›

For adults, WHO defines overweight and obesity as follows: overweight is a BMI greater than or equal to 25; and. obesity is a BMI greater than or equal to 30.

What is the obesity rate by race? ›

SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2017–2018. More than 2 in 5 non-Hispanic white adults (42.2%) have obesity. Nearly 1 in 2 non-Hispanic Black adults (49.6%) have obesity. More than 1 in 6 non-Hispanic Asian adults (17.4%) have obesity.

What percent of people in Texas are overweight? ›

As of 2021, it is estimated that 59% of residents in Travis County are overweight or obese. This prevalence estimate is smaller than the overall estimate of overweight and obesity for Texas residents of 69.8%.

How much does obesity cost Texas? ›

The lifetime cost for the 29.5 percent of adult Texans who are obese averages out to $532,000, which includes the money spent on medical care for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and arthritis; the almost $300,000 less an obese person makes in lifetime wages; and the extra $6,600 the individual spends on diets ...

What country is the #1 obesity capital of the world? ›

All 10 of the world's fattest countries were in the Pacific — with the remote island of Nauru holding the top spot. Almost nine in 10 people in Nauru are overweight, according to the data.

Where is the healthiest place to live in Texas? ›

According to their list, one of the healthiest cities in Texas is Austin, which ranked #14. Among the unhealthiest cities, Brownsville comes in at #182. Houston was 94, San Antonio 99, Laredo 174, and Corpus Christi 173.

What is the most obese city in America 2023? ›

WalletHub last week released its list of the "Most Overweight & Obese Cities in the US" for 2023, with the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan area in Texas claiming the No. 1 spot.

Is Houston the most obese city? ›

Houston isn't the only Texas city to make the list. In fact, the No. 1 spot for most overweight and/or obese city area in the country is in south Texas in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas area.

What city is the least obese? ›

Tipping the scale: The 5 most (and 5 least) overweight American...
  • KNOXVILLE, TN. ...
  • MEMPHIS, TN-MS-AR. ...
  • MCALLEN-EDINBURG-MISSION, TX. ...
  • THE TOP 5 LEAST OVERWEIGHT CITIES IN THE U.S. ...
  • SEATTLE-TACOMA-BELLEVUE, WA. ...
  • MINNEAPOLIS-ST. ...
  • DENVER-AURORA-LAKEWOOD, CO. ALSO RANKS: ...
  • BOSTON-CAMBRIDGE-NEWTON, MA-NH. ALSO RANKS:
Mar 22, 2022

What percent of San Antonio is obese? ›

Community Overview. San Antonio, Texas, is tackling obesity, a health condition that is prevalent throughout the city of 1,327,407 residents. In Bexar County, where San Antonio is located, 65.7% of adults are overweight or obese. In Texas, 32.4% of children aged 10-17 are overweight or obese.

What race is the most overweight? ›

African American women have the highest rates of obesity or being overweight compared to other groups in the United States. About 4 out of 5 African American women are overweight or obese.

Do overweight people live the longest? ›

A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggested that overweight people live longer. It certainly got a lot of press. And that's too bad, because it appears both the media and the authors of the study have not figured out that correlation does not equal causation.

Who lives longer overweight or underweight? ›

People who start adulthood with a body mass index (BMI) in the normal range and move later in life to being overweight -- but never obese -- tend to live the longest, a new study suggests.

Where does the majority of Texas live? ›

Tex. Houston is the most populous city in Texas and the fourth-largest in the U.S., while San Antonio is the second most populous in the state and seventh-largest in the country. Dallas–Fort Worth and Greater Houston are, respectively, the fourth- and fifth-largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country.

What is Texas least populated city? ›

Los Ybanez is a city in Dawson County, Texas, United States. The population was 19 at the 2010 census, making it the municipality with the smallest population in Texas.

What part of Texas is the least populated? ›

Loving County, Texas - Wikipedia.

What country eats the most fat? ›

Belgium, where people eat 95 grams of fat each day on average, holds the distinction of being the world's most fat-crazed country. Germany, where people eat 86.5 grams of fat each day on average, is second. Finland, where people eat just shy of 81 grams, is third.

How many cities are in the US? ›

Comprehensive: Over 108,000 cities and towns from all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

Is Texas an unhealthy state? ›

'What really stands out is how little progress Texas has made in the last five years,' says a Commonwealth Fund scientist. In many ways, Texas is an unhealthy state, and that was true before the pandemic. It ranks dead last in health insurance coverage, for children as well as adults.

What state has the best quality of life? ›

Washington. Washington state has the highest quality of life in all 50 states. The state has no income tax, a thriving job market, and great international business opportunities.

What is the fittest state in the US 2023? ›

1. Vermont. Vermont is considered the healthiest state in the U.S. Vermont's adult obesity rate is 26.6%, the seventh-lowest in the country, and its adult smoking rate is 15.1%, the 21st-lowest.

What is the fittest city in the United States? ›

Arlington, Virginia, has been named “America's Fittest City” in the annual American Fitness Index® rankings published by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the Elevance Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Elevance Health.

What are the 3 healthiest cities in America? ›

Healthiest U.S. Cities
Overall RankCityTotal Score
1San Francisco, CA67
2Seattle, WA65
3Honolulu, HI62
4San Diego, CA62
6 more rows
Apr 4, 2023

What state has the healthiest seniors? ›

Utah is the healthiest state in the nation for older adults in 2023, according to the United Health Foundation's 11th annual "America's Health Rankings Senior Report." The May 16 report reviewed 10 years of data to provide a comprehensive look at the health and well-being of Americans 65 and older.

What state are people in the best shape? ›

Top 10 fittest states in the US 2021
  1. Vermont – Health score: 9.80 – Team USA Athletes: 3. ...
  2. District of Columbia – Health score: 9.74 – Team USA Athletes: 3. ...
  3. Colorado – Health score: 9.70 – Team USA Athletes: 31. ...
  4. Montana – Health score: 9.39 – Team USA Athletes: 3. ...
  5. Washington – Health score: 9.36 – Team USA Athletes: 8.

What is the strongest state? ›

Turns out that America's strongest state is Texas.

What state uses the gym the most? ›

One of the most popular ways to keep fit is to make regular visits to a health club or gym. There were a total of 41,370 of these establishments throughout the United States in 2019. The state of California was home to the largest amount of gyms - 5,123 in total - while there were just 81 health clubs in Wyoming.

Why is Colorado the least obese state? ›

A comprehensive new study finds that Colorado is the least obese state in the country. This benchmark was accomplished thanks to low levels in every demographic category, including age and ethnicity, and a high level of daily physical activity among children and teens.

What is the least obese states in the US? ›

The least obese state in the U.S. is Colorado, where only 23% of the state population is obese. One-third of all U.S. adults are obese.

What state has the lowest percentage of obesity? ›

West Virginia has the highest adult obesity rate at 40.6% and the District of Columbia has the lowest at 24.7%.

What is the obesity rate in Los Angeles? ›

Obesity rates are rising in LA County–24.3% of adults and more than 20% of students in junior high school are obese. LA County's adult smoking rate (11.7%) is among the lowest of any U.S. metropolitan area.

Why are Republican states more obese? ›

Republicans eat more meat than Democrats. They consume more high-calorie foods and eat fewer fruits and vegetables. Moreover, they exercise less. All of these behaviors contribute to general health problems and encourage the storage of excess body fat.

Are Republican states more obese? ›

The median Republican county had a 13% higher obesity rate, a 21% higher diabetes rate, a 19% higher physical inactivity rate, a 24% higher opioid prescribing rate, and a 6% higher smoking rate.

Why is the Midwest more obese? ›

Deb Galuska, a scientist with the CDC, says the increase in the Midwest is likely due to poor diet, nutrition and low levels of physical activity. She says these factors are key to reducing obesity nationwide.

Who suffers from obesity? ›

According to the 2022 State of Obesity report, Black adults have the highest rate of obesity in the U.S.—49.9%—compared to 45.6% of Hispanic adults, 41.4% of white adults and 16.1% of Asian adults.

What is the obesity rate in Japan? ›

Only 3.6 percent of Japanese have a body mass index (BMI) over 30, which is the international standard for obesity, whereas 32.0 percent of Americans do. A total of 66.5 percent of Americans have a BMI over 25, making them overweight, but only 24.7 percent of Japanese.

Why is obesity increasing in the US? ›

Inactivity is the New Normal

Lack of exercise is also a major culprit in the obesity epidemic. It's been decades since most Americans worked in fields and on factory floors, a far greater majority of us are sitting throughout our workday. This means less exercise each day.

What city has the highest obesity rate in the world? ›

Nauru is known to have the highest rates of obese inhabitants worldwide. The average body weight among Nauruans is approximately 100 kilograms (220 lb).

Which group has the highest obesity rates in the United States? ›

Non-Hispanic Black women have the highest rates of obesity in the U.S.—nearly 59 percent, compared to 44 percent in Mexican American women, 41 percent in Hispanic women, and 33 percent in Non-Hispanic White women.

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