Fattest Cities In America: Memphis, Indianapolis, New Orleans

Fattest Cities in America via Wallet Hub

To be described “overweight” or “obese” — although these are medical terms — is unflattering on a personal level. But even more embarrassing is when your entire nation sits dead last on a global obesity scale. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a third of American adults and about 17 percent of young people were obese in 2012. That’s not even counting the overweight. Our wallets, on the other hand, have grown lighter as the economic and societal costs of the extra pounds continue to rise.

By one estimate, Americans spend up to $315.8 billion annually on obesity-related medical treatment, elevating health-care costs exponentially for obese adults and children compared with healthier individuals. In the workplace, obesity-related health issues yield indirect costs to the worker and employer alike. Absenteeism, for one, results in lost wages and reduced productivity. If obesity trends continue at their current rate, treatment costs could rise as much as $66 billion a year and annual productivity losses by up to $580 billion by 2030. Fortunately, that provides ample time to tip the scale in the direction of good health.

In light of National Nutrition Month, WalletHub’s analysts compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas to identify those where weight-related problems call for heightened attention. This report takes a more holistic approach to problems related to weight by not only accounting for both “overweight” and “obese” residents but also including a total of 14 key metrics, ranging from “percentage of physically inactive adults” to “percentage of adults eating fewer than one serving of fruits or vegetables per day.” Scroll down to see the fattest and thinnest cities, expert commentary on America’s growing weight problem and a full description of our methodology.

Comparing the Fattest & Thinnest

The Memphis, TN-MS-AR, metro area has the highest percentage of obese adults, 36.8 percent, which is two times higher than in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA, the metro area with the lowest, 18.9 percent.
The Memphis, TN-MS-AR, metro area has the highest percentage of physically inactive adults, 34.7 percent, which is three times higher than in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA, the metro area with the lowest, 14.1 percent.
The Canton-Massillon, OH, metro area has the highest percentage of diabetic adults, 15.4 percent, which is three times higher than in Provo-Orem, UT, the metro area with the lowest, 5.0 percent.
The Mobile, AL, metro area has the highest percentage of adults with high blood pressure, 42.5 percent, which is two times higher than in Provo-Urem, UT, the metro area with the lowest, 19.5 percent.