Fattest States: Where Does California Rank?

Have you ever tried rolled ice cream? What about macarons the size of your head, over-the-top waffles, larger than life churros, or deep friend everything at your local fair? California has trendy deserts aplenty, but on the other hand, health fads are equally abundant: avocado toast, açai bowls, green juice, and CrossFit are among the most popular.

Luckily, California has warm weather and an abundance of sunshine most of the year, which leads to a lot of opportunities for outdoor fitness: beach runs, hiking, yoga, and more. According to WalletHub, a website "dedicated to helping people efficiently attain top WalletFitness™ so they may enjoy life instead of worrying about money," the Sunshine State isn't even in the top half of states where obesity is most prevalent.

To find out where obesity and weight-related health problems are the most common, WalletHub looked at 19 key metrics in the 50 states and District of Columbia, according to their study."Our data set ranges from share of obese and overweight population to sugary-beverage consumption among adolescents to obesity-related health care costs," the site said.

According to new report by the Physical Activity Council, nearly 81.5 million Americans aged 6 and older were completely inactive in 2016. "Lack of physical activity is a leading cause of obesity, in addition to genetics, emotional instability and sleeplessness," according to WalletHub. Surprisingly, the United States spends $200 billion on health care each year for obesity-related health problems, according to the Campaign to End Obesity.

How does California rate? According to WalletHub, it's the 41st "fattest" state. Mississippi weighs in as the state where obesity is most prevalent, and Colorado is the fittest.
The study lists these as the 10 "fattest" U.S. states:

1. Mississippi
2. West Virginia
3. Tennessee
4. Arkansas
5. Louisiana
6. Kentucky
7. Alabama
8. Oklahoma
9. South Carolina
10. Indiana

Main image via Shutterstock