According to a recent study by WalletHub, Canton is ranked as the most obese city in Ohio and the 18th most obese city in the United States.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the obesity rate in the US has increased from 30.5% in 1999 to about 42%. In 2019, the United States spent about $173 billion each year on medical costs related to obesity. The medical costs for adults who are obese were $1,861 more than the medical costs for people who have a healthy weight.
According to a study by WalletHub, some places contribute more to poor health than others. The site compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas to identify weight-related problems. They used 19 key indicators for this comparison.
Most obese cities in the US
WalletHub has identified the cities in the U.S. with the highest rates of obesity:
- McAllen, Texas
- Jackson, Mississippi
- Shreveport, Louisiana
- Mobile, Alabama
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- Memphis, Tennessee
- Lafayette, Louisiana
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
The fattest cities in Ohio
Ohio had eight cities that were ranked among the top 100 most obese cities. The study shows:
- Canton (No. 18 nationally)
- Youngstown (No. 20)
- Akron (No. 32)
- Toledo (No. 33)
- Dayton (No. 39)
- Columbus (No. 40)
- Cincinnati (No. 42)
- Cleveland (No. 46)
The study found that Akron ranked third for the percentage of obese adults. This was one of the factors considered by WalletHub when determining the overall ranking.
Also Read: Alabama Becomes Second Worst State for Animal Protection Laws
Tips for fighting obesity
The CDC recommends that maintaining a healthy weight is important for your overall health, both now and as you get older. On the other hand, individuals who are obese have a higher chance of developing various serious diseases and health conditions compared to those who have a healthy weight. The website provides advice on how to eat healthy, be physically active, get enough sleep, and reduce stress.
However, be cautious of the “all or nothing” approach. According to Stephen Ball, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Missouri, many people mistakenly think that they have to eat only healthy foods, completely cut out sweets, alcohol, and carbs, and do intense exercise every day. He said that this is not realistic and impossible to achieve, which causes many people to give up.
Methodology for this study
WalletHub compared 100 of the largest cities in the United States in terms of obesity and overweight, health consequences, and food and fitness. The dimensions were measured using 19 different metrics. The metrics were graded on a scale of 100 points, with a score of 100 being the highest. WalletHub calculated the overall score for each metro area by taking into account all the metrics and then ranked them based on these scores.
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