Health Care

2016’s fattest cities in America

Posted by Kelly Davis

Updated March 23, 2016 8:53 AM

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.

Main findings

The “fattest” metro areas below can be rank-ordered based on the “Overall Rank” column, which encompasses all indicators — not just the prevalence of overweight and obesity problems — analyzed in this report. A rank of “1” corresponds with the “Fattest” metro area.

Source: WalletHub

Full rankings list

Metro areas wholly or partially in South Carolina are in boldface type.

Overall Rank	Metro Area	Total Score	‘Fat Prevalence’ Rank	‘Weight-Related Health Problems’ Rank	‘Healthy Environment’ Rank
1	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	76.97	14	2	5
2	Shreveport-Bossier City, LA	75.24	17	1	3
3	Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN	73.88	2	25	15
4	Jackson, MS	73.75	13	3	11
5	New Orleans-Metairie, LA	72.94	8	4	28
6	Chattanooga, TN-GA	72.31	22	6	4
7	Mobile, AL	72.26	10	8	14
8	San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	71.26	25	42	7
9	Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC	71.24	19	17	2
10	Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR	70.89	20	15	8
11	Columbia, SC	70.49	7	19	26
12	Knoxville, TN	70.47	42	5	16
13	Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA	70.05	33	11	17
14	Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	70.01	31	16	20
15	Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	69.38	30	41	13
16	Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC	69.33	27	26	6
17	Lafayette, LA	69.33	16	12	60
18	Greensboro-High Point, NC	69.02	38	23	22
19	Oklahoma City, OK	68.99	44	20	24
20	Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA	68.72	3	35	64
21	Fort Wayne, IN	68.45	11	27	35
22	Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	68.24	36	43	19
23	Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC	68.20	35	21	31
24	Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	68.13	4	39	56
25	Canton-Massillon, OH	68.06	48	10	47
26	Wichita, KS	68.06	41	38	21
27	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	68.00	24	18	34
28	Columbus, OH	67.89	64	47	9
29	Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	67.83	56	51	12
30	McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX	67.76	34	33	1
31	Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO	66.86	39	37	23
32	Toledo, OH	66.79	60	22	32
33	Tulsa, OK	66.75	40	14	39
34	Charleston-North Charleston, SC	66.70	29	31	50
35	El Paso, TX	66.11	45	28	29
36	Huntsville, AL	66.08	18	62	25
37	Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	65.82	6	61	67
38	Lexington-Fayette, KY	65.52	21	40	40
39	Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	65.31	62	36	33
40	Baton Rouge, LA	65.31	5	7	62
41	Dayton, OH	64.90	78	13	44
42	Winston-Salem, NC	64.87	63	48	27
43	Asheville, NC	64.20	66	54	10
44	New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	64.17	85	64	18
45	Jacksonville, FL	63.99	71	32	37
46	Kansas City, MO-KS	63.69	49	34	46
47	Richmond, VA	63.33	52	56	61
48	Birmingham-Hoover, AL	62.50	26	9	76
49	Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI	62.34	55	70	49
50	Akron, OH	62.23	73	60	41
51	Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	62.10	69	63	38
52	Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA	62.03	43	76	75
53	Durham-Chapel Hill, NC	61.98	75	74	30
54	Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	61.86	9	55	57
55	Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	61.26	61	66	43
56	Austin-Round Rock, TX	60.98	46	86	42
57	Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	60.67	15	82	52
58	Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	60.55	83	50	65
59	Raleigh, NC	60.39	51	77	48
60	New Haven-Milford, CT	60.18	68	68	82
61	Cleveland-Elyria, OH	59.59	65	44	59
62	Manchester-Nashua, NH	59.35	79	65	81
63	Portland-South Portland, ME	59.15	88	73	53
64	Springfield, MA	58.90	81	81	54
65	Worcester, MA-CT	58.26	89	85	58
66	Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	58.03	53	91	51
66	Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	58.03	92	78	69
68	St. Louis, MO-IL	58.02	50	30	84
69	Anchorage, AK	57.44	58	79	63
70	Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	57.27	72	49	71
71	San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	57.18	67	98	45
72	Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC	57.16	58	58	78
73	Pittsburgh, PA	57.02	1	46	97
74	Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	56.95	47	71	77
75	Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI	56.93	77	69	55
76	Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	56.22	90	52	66
77	Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	55.98	96	24	80
78	Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	55.94	54	57	87
79	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	55.49	57	29	99
80	Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT	55.15	95	89	94
81	Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	55.09	23	72	88
82	Albuquerque, NM	55.06	82	67	72
83	Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA	54.22	70	59	89
84	Ogden-Clearfield, UT	54.15	100	84	70
85	Salt Lake City, UT	53.87	98	87	83
86	Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	53.46	28	83	91
87	San Diego-Carlsbad, CA	53.08	32	88	86
88	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	52.80	12	90	92
89	Provo-Orem, UT	52.71	99	99	36
90	Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	52.51	76	45	100
91	Tucson, AZ	52.28	86	53	96
92	Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO	51.95	84	96	68
93	Colorado Springs, CO	51.91	94	93	73
94	San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA	51.40	80	97	74
95	Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	51.17	93	94	79
96	Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA	51.17	37	92	95
97	Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV	51.02	74	80	98
98	Boise, ID	50.93	91	75	93
99	Reno, NV	49.42	87	95	90
100	Honolulu, HI	46.16	97	100	85

Methodology

In order to draw attention to the communities where weight-related problems must be contained, WalletHub’s analysts compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas for which no data limitations existed across three key dimensions: 1) Fat Prevalence, 2) Weight-Related Health Problems and 3) Healthy Environment.

They first compiled 14 relevant metrics, listed below with their corresponding weight for each metric. Each metric was given a value between 0 and 100, wherein 100 is the best value for that metric and 0 is the worst. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available at the state level only.

They then calculated the overall score for each city using the weighted average across all metrics and ranked the cities accordingly.

Fat Prevalence – Total Points: 50

▪ Percentage of Overweight Adults: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)

▪ Percentage of Obese Adults: Full Weight (~12.50 Points)

▪ Percentage of Overweight Teenagers: Half* Weight (~6.25 Points)

Note: “Teenagers” includes persons aged 14 to 18.

▪ Percentage of Obese Teenagers: Half* Weight (~6.25 Points)

Note: “Teenagers” includes persons aged 14 to 18.

▪ Percentage of Overweight Children: Half* Weight (~6.25 Points)

Note: “Children” includes persons aged 10 to 17.

▪ Percentage of Obese Children: Half* Weight (~6.25 Points)

Note: “Children” includes persons aged 10 to 17.

Weight-Related Health Problems – Total Points: 30

▪ Percentage of Physically Inactive Adults: Full Weight (~5.45 Points)

▪ Percentage of Adults with High Cholesterol: Full Weight (~5.45 Points)

▪ Percent of Adults Eating Fewer than One Serving of Fruits/Vegetables per Day: Full* Weight (~5.45 Points)

▪ Percentage of Diabetic Adults: Full Weight (~5.45 Points)

▪ Percent of Adults with High Blood Pressure: Full Weight (~5.45 Points)

Obesity-Related Death Rate: Half* Weight (~2.73 Points)

▪ Healthy Environment - Total Points: 20

▪ WalletHub “Active Lifestyle” Ranking: Quadruple Weight (~16.00 Points)

▪ Access to Healthy Food: Full Weight (~4.00 Points)

Note: This metric measures the percentage of urban-area residents with low income and living more than 1 mi. from a grocery store or supermarket.

Sources: Data used to create these rankings were collected from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, County Health Rankings, the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, and WalletHub research.

This story was originally published March 22, 2016 at 8:59 AM with the headline "2016’s fattest cities in America."

Main findings

Full rankings list

Methodology

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