With March being National Nutrition Month and obesity possibly tripling the risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2021's Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S., as well as accompanying videos.
In order to call attention to the communities where weight-related problems are most prevalent, WalletHub compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 19 key metrics. Our data set ranges from the share of physically inactive adults to projected obesity rates by 2030 to healthy-food access.| Fattest Cities in America | |
| 1. McAllen, TX | 11. Chattanooga, TN |
| 2. Memphis, TN | 12. Tulsa, OK |
| 3. Baton Rouge, LA | 13. Augusta, GA |
| 4. Little Rock, AR | 14. Greenville, SC |
| 5. Shreveport, LA | 15. Fayetteville, AR |
| 6. Birmingham, AL | 16. Myrtle Beach, SC |
| 7. Jackson, MS | 17. San Antonio, TX |
| 8. Mobile, AL | 18. Wichita, KS |
| 9. Lafayette, LA | 19. New Orleans, LA |
| 10. Knoxville, TN | 20. Nashville, TN |
Key Stats
- The McAllen, Texas, metro area has the highest share of obese adults, 44.90 percent, which is 2.4 times higher than in Asheville, North Carolina, the metro area with the lowest at 18.50 percent.
- The McAllen, Texas, metro area has the highest share of physically inactive adults, 36.90 percent, which is 2.2 times higher than in Provo-Orem, Utah, the metro area with the lowest at 16.50 percent.
- The El Paso, Texas, metro area has the highest share of diabetic adults, 14.60 percent, which is 2.3 times higher than in Denver, the metro area with the lowest at 6.40 percent.
- The Jackson, Mississippi, metro area has the highest share of adults with high blood pressure, 40.60 percent, which is 1.8 times higher than in San Jose, California, the metro area with the lowest at 22.80 percent.
