North Dakota’s Obesity Rate is Higher than Most States

Despite the fact that the adult obesity rate only decreased in one state over the past year, analysts suggest that rates are showing signs of leveling off.

Recently, a study was done by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to determine the adult obesity rate in each state throughout the U.S. The study showed that North Dakota has the 15th highest adult obesity rate in the country. Statistically, 31.9 percent of adults in North Dakota were considered obese in 2016. Previously, that number was 32.2 percent in 2014, and 31 percent in 2015.

Of all 50 states, 46 of them exceed a level of 25 percent of adults that were considered obese last year, while 25 states were higher than 30 percent, and five states were more than 35 percent. Those five states were Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia finishing with the highest rate at 37.7 percent of adults with obesity in 2016.

Kansas was the lone state where obesity decreased from the previous year. Their 2015 level of 34.2 percent went down to 31.5 percent in 2016. Colorado, Minnesota, Washington, and West Virginia all increased from the previous year, while the rest of the country was considered as 'remaining stable.'

Despite, being one of four states that had an increase in adult obesity from 2015 to 2016, Colorado had the lowest percentage in the U.S. at 22.3 percent.

North Dakota's 31.9 percent is nearly three times its obesity rate in 1990 when it was 11.6 percent. This follows the same trend throughout the country. A full map of the country's statistics can be seen here.