(WOOD) — While Americans are getting fatter overall, waistlines are expanding quicker in certain states, according to a new analysis by WalletHub.
The data crunching site compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia in 10 areas, including rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease; consumption of fruit, vegetables and sugary beverages; and the number of fast food restaurants and fitness centers in their area.
The majority of the fattest states were in the southeast. Mississippi claimed the top spot, followed by West Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas and Louisiana. Indiana was the only Midwest state to tip the scales into the top ten.
Sandwiched between Ohio (No. 13) and Wisconsin (No. 28), Michigan came in at No. 18. The report also concluded pasties were the most popular comfort food in Michigan.
The fittest state was Colorado, which had the lowest percent of obese adults, the lowest rate of physically inactive adults, and was among the five states with the lowest rate of obese children and adult with Type 2 diabetes.
More than seven in 10 U.S. adults who are 20 years or older are overweight or obese, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.