South leads in obesity, with Texas ranked 10th fattest, CDC says

Published: July 18, 2008, 3:46 am

By MIKE STOBBE ATLANTA — The South tips the scales again as the nation’s fattest region, according to a new 2007 telephone survey of 350,000 people conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Which states are the most obese?More than 30 percent of adults in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee are considered obese. What about Texas?The prevalence of obesity among adults 18 or older was 25 percent to 29 percent in 28 states, including Texas, New York and Illinois.Is there a "slender" state?Yes, Colorado was the least obese, with about 19 percent fitting that category.Why is the South so heavy?The traditional Southern diet, high in fat and fried food, may be part of the answer, said Dr. William Dietz, who heads the CDC’s nutrition, physical activity and obesity division.The South also has a large concentration of rural residents and black women, two groups that tend to have higher obesity rates, he said.The study found that about 36 percent of black

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