Here's How Obese Massachusetts Is

Massachusetts, it seems you've put on some weight. Just a little, though.

The Bay State is one of the least obese states in America, according to the latest annual review of state obesity rates by the Centers for Disease Control. Unfortunately, that says more about everyone else than it does about us.

Nearly one in four adults — 24.3 percent — are obese in Massachusetts. The only places with a lower rate of obesity are California, Montana, Hawaii, Washington, D.C., and Colorado.

The Bay State figures are higher than 2014's numbers by 1 percent.

Overweight people in Massachusetts make up 35.6 percent of the adult population. Additionally, one in 10 Massachusetts adolescents is obese, and 12.9 percent are overweight.

The CDC releases annual obesity rates each September based on self-reported studies on behavioral risk factors.

Overall, the country seems to be getting larger, and the states with the highest obesity rates have only gotten worse.

According to 2015 numbers from the CDC, 32.8 percent of Massachusetts adults reported eating fruit less than once a day, and 20.1 percent said the same of vegetables.

Just over half — 54.5 percent — of adults said they get the equivalent of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week.

Massachusetts received $369,052 in federal money in the last fiscal year through the CDC's State Public Health Actions program. Through that program, Massachusetts has worked with health and fitness programs and expanded the Massachusetts Nutrition Standards to include new guidelines.

The CDC also provides $1.7 million annually for college and university programs that reduce obesity and boost prevention in communities with the highest obesity rates.

People who are obese are at a higher risk of high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea and some forms of cancer, as well as other health issues. Medical care costs related to obesity have reached more than $190 billion a year, according to a 2012 study in the Journal of Health Economics.

Photo provided by CDC/ Debora Cartagena

Greg Hambrick, Patch Staff, contributed to this report