Study: Are People in the State of New York Getting Fatter?

Have people in New York City and other parts of the state put on weight?

Obesity continues to be an epidemic in the U.S., and the latest numbers say the issue isn't getting any better. According to data posted at Trust for America's Health, 41.9 percent of American adults have obesity. Also, according to 2017–2020 NHANES data, nearly 20% of kids ages 2 to 19 having obesity.

See Also: Where Does New York Rank Among the Country For Overall Health?

As past studies have shown, the problem is even worse in some states versus others. And while New York state ranked only 44th in the country for obesity rates in 2022, the overall number of overweight adults living in the Empire State continues to climb.

The Study

WalletHub recently ranked the most and least obese states in the country. In order to determine the most overweight and obese states in America, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across three key dimensions: 1) Obesity & Overweight Prevalence, 2) Health Consequences and 3) Food & Fitness.

According to the latest numbers from WalletHub, New York ranks 41st in the nation for obesity. For the category of Food & Fitness, New York came in 31st. So, while New York continues to rank as one of less obese states, the overall numbers continue to rise. .

New Jersey climbed to 35th, Massachusetts 49th, Vermont 42nd, Connecticut 36th, and Pennsylvania 28th. West Virginia ranked as the fattest state in the U.S., and Colorado the least.

See Also: Is New York One of the Country's Loudest and Noisiest States?