To determine the areas where weight-related problems are most pervasive, analysts compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across three categories: 1) obesity and overweight, 2) health consequences; and 3) food and fitness. Categories were evaluated using 19 relevant metrics, which ranged from share of overweight adults and share of obese adults to share of physically inactive adults and heart disease rate. More information on the metrics used is available here.
Here are the 10 most overweight and obese cities in the U.S. based on the analysis:
1. McAllen, Texas
2. Memphis, Tenn.
3. Knoxville, Tenn.
4. Mobile, Ala.
5. Jackson, Miss.
6. Birmingham, Ala.
7. Little Rock, Ark.
8. Shreveport, La.
9. Augusta, Ga.
10. Baton Rouge, La.
