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Most and Least Obese States in 2016: Full Rankings

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An obese man has his waistline measured.
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A new report ranks the most and least obese U.S. states in 2016.

West Virginia had the highest obesity rate, with 37.7 percent of residents who are obese, while Colorado had the lowest rate, at 22.3 percent. [Read the full story on state obesity rates].

1. West Virginia: 37.7 percent

2. Mississippi: 37.3 percent

3. (tie) Alabama and Arkansas: 35.7 percent

5. Louisiana: 35.5 percent

6. Tennessee: 34.8 percent

7. Kentucky: 34.2 percent

8. Texas: 33.7 percent

9. Oklahoma: 32.8 percent

10. (tie) Indiana and Michigan: 32.5 percent

12. South Carolina: 32.3 percent

13. (tie) Iowa and Nebraska: 32 percent

15. North Dakota: 31.9 percent

16. North Carolina: 31.8 percent

17. Missouri: 31.7 percent

18. Illinois: 31.6 percent

19. Ohio: 31.5 percent

 20. (tie) Alaska and Georgia: 31.4 percent

22. Kansas: 31.2 percent

23. (tie) Delaware and Wisconsin: 30.7 percent

25. Pennsylvania: 30.3 percent

26. (tie) Maine and Maryland: 29.9 percent

28. South Dakota: 29.6 percent

29. (tie) Arizona and Virginia: 29 percent

31. Oregon: 28.7 percent

32. Washington: 28.6 percent

33. New Mexico: 28.3 percent

34. Minnesota: 27.8 percent

35. Wyoming: 27.7 percent

36. (tie) Florida, Idaho and New Jersey: 27.4 percent

39. Vermont: 27.1 percent

40. (tie) New Hampshire and Rhode Island: 26.6 percent

42. Connecticut: 26 percent

43. Nevada: 25.8 percent

44. (tie) Montana and New York: 25.5 percent

46. Utah: 25.4 percent

47. California: 25 percent

48. Hawaii: 23.8 percent

49. Massachusetts: 23.6 percent

50. District of Columbia: 22.6 percent

51. Colorado: 22.3 percent

Original article on Live Science.

Rachael Rettner
Rachael Rettner
Contributor

Rachael is a Live Science contributor, and was a former channel editor and senior writer for Live Science between 2010 and 2022. She has a master's degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a B.S. in molecular biology and an M.S. in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American.