Arizona City Has The Most Obese Population In The Entire State

Obesity, a burgeoning nationwide health concern, has emerged as a pervasive and complex issue affecting individuals across diverse age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds and geographical locations. Characterized by an excessive accumulation of body fat, obesity poses significant challenges to both individual well-being and public health systems.

Tempo 24/7 put together a story showcasing the most obese city in every U.S. state:

"Obesity is one of the most serious health issues in the United States. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. It is also among the leading causes of preventable, premature death, according to CDC data.

Obesity prevalence in the U.S. was 41.9%, according to the CDC, and statistics indicate that the nation is becoming more obese. In the Trust for America’s Health’s analysis of CDC data, in 2022, 22 states had an adult-obesity rate at or above 35%. In 2012, no state had an adult-obesity rate above 35%.

24/7 Tempo used five metrics to determine the most obese city in every state — adults who are obese, don’t exercise, report poor or fair health, have diabetes; and get less than seven hours of sleep a night.

Of the 10 cities that graded the lowest in four categories, eight were in Southern states. Outlying cities were in California, Arizona, New Jersey, and Hawaii. In the obesity category, seven Southern states were among the 10 most obese, with the remaining three cities in the Midwest states of Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois."

In Arizona, the city with the highest obese population is Yuma:

• "Adults who are obese: 40.50% (state: 31.5%)
• Adults who don’t exercise: 29.40% (state: 21.6%)
• Adults who report poor or fair health: 21.10% (state: 14.5%)
• Adults with diabetes: 13.00% (state: 9.7%)
• Adults who get <7 hours of sleep a night: 36.60% (state: 33.6%)"