Based on overall score, the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area of Texas was the most overweight city in the United States. In comparison, the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metro area of Colorado was the least overweight city.
WalletHub also ranked the cities by how they performed in each of the three dimensions:
- The Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metro area of Arkansas ranked the worst for obesity and overweight while the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood metro area of Colorado ranked the best.
- Knoxville, Tennessee, ranked the worst for health consequences while the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area of California ranked the best.
- The Winston-Salem metro area of North Carolina ranked the worst for food and fitness while urban Honolulu, Hawaii ranked the best.
What experts have to say
According to health experts, there are several things people can do to prevent severe health complications from obesity, as well as eat healthily without breaking the bank.
For example, Lisa Salinas, a clinical assistant professor in the department of health and biomedical sciences at theUniversity of Texas: Rio Grande Valley, recommends people make small changes to improve their health, such as walking while on the phone to get some exercise in.
Salinas also recommends moving away from using food as a reward. "Instead, reward yourself with a new book, a fun outfit, or a night out at a show," she said.
For people who are looking to eat more healthily while on a budget, several experts recommended planning out a grocery list and meals ahead of time so there is less temptation to reach for unhealthy options first.
"Meal planning and creating a grocery list" are "crucial" for sticking to a food budget, said Tanya Halliday, an assistant professor in the department of health and kinesiology at theUniversity of Utah. "This helps to avoid impulse purchases as well as over-purchasing food and having it spoil before being used."
Colleen Tewksbury, an assistant professor of nutrition science at theUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, added that it's important to give yourself time to make and adjust to these changes as you try to eat more healthily. " Giving yourself time and space to practice is key," she said. "Trying new approaches to shopping and eating is challenging and will likely take some getting used to."
Some experts also pinpointed certain policy changes that federal and state governments could pursue to reduce obesity, as well as lower related healthcare costs.
"On the treatment side, we need more support for comprehensive obesity treatment programs," including for behavioral programs, medication, and surgery, said Travis Masterson, a professor for the study of health promotion and disease prevention atPennsylvania State University. "Currently, support for all of these treatment tools is virtually non-existent."
However, Tewksbury noted that a major hurdle for obesity treatment programs is coverage. "While there has been significant progress in expanding access, most reports estimate only 1% of those clinically eligible receive weight management treatment (behavioral, medications, surgery) with insurance coverage cited as the primary barrier," she said. (Twenter,Becker's Hospital Review, 3/14; McCann,WalletHub, 3/13)
