What State Is the Fattest?

Nick Gillespie | August 27, 2007

Isn't it time we started talking about the Buffet Belt rather than the Bible Belt? I suspect that more politics tracks along the lines of blood sugar swings than theology these days.  reason on fat stuff here.

What state is the fattest? Hint: Not Colorado.

Comments

|8.27.07 @ 3:27PM|#

Seeing Alaska's score I wonder if one mans fat is not another mans insulation...

Brian Sorgatz|8.27.07 @ 3:30PM|#

We didn't need Jerry Falwell's guilt trips on the sin of lust. We don't need Morgan Spurlock laying a guilt trip about gluttony, either.

LibertyPlease|8.27.07 @ 3:32PM|#

In the grand tradition of all religions, my new one will (coincidentally) support my inclinations and fears. My god requires men to weigh more than 200lbs. All others reflect the sins of their ancestors. Oh, and sexual orientations that scare me are evil.

|8.27.07 @ 3:34PM|#

Ah, Ohio! The home of Bob Evans and Skyline & Gold Star Chilis. I knew it wouldn't let me down.

Brian Sorgatz|8.27.07 @ 3:34PM|#

Spurlock, for example. He made Super Size Me, in which he pretended to be too stupid to stop eating when he was full, because he thinks the rest of us McDonald's customers are that stupid.

Edward|8.27.07 @ 3:34PM|#

I wonder which state would come in first if the fat content only of heads was measured. I know what blog would be first.

|8.27.07 @ 3:41PM|#

Ah, my poor beloved Wisconsin; you used to be perpetually #1 in the "which state has the most fat fucks" poll. Now we're barely in the top HALF! C'mon people, we can do it again! Pick up those brats! Have another beer! Eat some more cheese!

|8.27.07 @ 3:46PM|#

Poor effort, Edward. Try harder.

|8.27.07 @ 3:47PM|#

Out of the fifty states, Colorado ranks 51st. They're doing amazingly well!

|8.27.07 @ 3:47PM|#

We don't need Morgan Spurlock laying a guilt trip about gluttony, either.

I quit going to fast food after reading Spurlock's book. I'm in better shape now. Don't hate on Spurlock for trying to convince us to not go splurging on junk food (as opposed to the food fascists who'd like to force us to not go). Feel free to pig out on rubbish if you choose, though.

|8.27.07 @ 3:49PM|#

I wonder which state would come in first if the fat content only of heads was measured. I know what blog would be first.

You're right, Edward, but there's no way to keep folks like you from posting and driving up the Fathead Average TM. ;)

|8.27.07 @ 3:56PM|#

The Midwest is nothing. Virtually all professional athletes are morbidly obese! Won't someone think of the pro-athletes?

When I stopped lifting weights and working out daily, I was able to get my BMI down to a healthy level! I am sure that if we compelled professional athletes to stop exercising, that their BMI would return to a more healthy level, just as it did for me!

Those who advocate muscle-mass building exercise are the real villians promoting obesity! That, and Hollywood for glamorizing obese stars like Tom Cruise!

|8.27.07 @ 4:01PM|#

Anyone see the Penn and Teller: Bullshit! on obesity?

|8.27.07 @ 4:08PM|#

Anyone have a clue what's up with Alabama's low rate smack in the middle of the fat belt?

Episiarch|8.27.07 @ 4:10PM|#

Anyone see the Penn and Teller: Bullshit! on obesity?

Yes. Why? Don't you have Showtime On Demand, poor man?

|8.27.07 @ 4:13PM|#

Hmm, when I lived there don't remember Nebraska inhabitants looking all that more overly obese than those in other states.....

Maybe they were all in hiding?

|8.27.07 @ 4:18PM|#

Senescent,

No, Alabama is the third fattest. The color is different because it's highlighted by default. You can click on any state and get the actual ranking and % fat people.

AndyD

|8.27.07 @ 4:19PM|#

Senescent,
Yes, click on another state. Alabama is just tan because it's highlighted. It ranks 3rd, just below W.VA and Mississippi.

Episiarch|8.27.07 @ 4:23PM|#

It's kind of weird that this isn't more evenly distributed. I mean, it's not like people in Colorado are so fucking vastly different than people in Nebraska. Since I didn't RTFA, it is possible that their sampling method just sucks?

e|8.27.07 @ 4:26PM|#

Would be interesting to see a county-by-county breakdown of obesity. I'll bet it correlates pretty closely with sprawl versus urban living. The big boned healthy rubinesque folks live where there's plenty of freedom to drive everywhere, whereas the bony concentration camp survivor-looking freaks of nature live near public transportation and are forced by the city commissariat to walk everywhere.

So what do Penn and Teller say about it anyway? Would be interested in hearing from someone who's seen it.

The Wine Commonsewer|8.27.07 @ 4:27PM|#

it's not like people in Colorado are so fucking vastly different than people in Nebraska

Oh, but they are. Colorado is very progressive whereas, Nebraska, is well, not.

I'm surprised that there aren't more fatties in cold states. What else is there to do all winter besides munch? [ducks a spitball]

|8.27.07 @ 4:29PM|#

Edward | August 15, 2007, 11:18am | #

"...Moulitsas-one of the savviest and most impactful political operators of this young century-thinks there's strength in associating his party with libertarianism."

He doesn't fucking think there's strength in associating his party with libertarianism, you knucklehead. He's using "libertarian" in a normal, non-lunatic-sectarian sense of socially liberal. If you inform most intelligent people of the extemist positions Reason's brand of libertainism takes, they roll their eyes and back away.

This is my absolutely final contribution to this psychopathic forum. Please ban me.

Liar

|8.27.07 @ 4:31PM|#

What else is there to do all winter besides munch?

Ski? Have sex (to keep warm, of course)? Throw snowballs? Burn a million calories either shoveling snow or walking through knee deep snow to get to your car?

Louie Anderson|8.27.07 @ 4:34PM|#

The casinos might get me at the tables but I get even at the buffet.

|8.27.07 @ 4:34PM|#

prolefeed:

Did you really need Morgan Douchebag Spurlock to tell you that McDonald's isn't good for you? After I read Spurlock's book I had the intense urge to go on a two-week junk food binge.

And am I the only fat guy in the Northeast who wants to know how much it costs to get into the "Buffet Belt?"

|8.27.07 @ 4:35PM|#

Colorado has temperate climate and lots of fun stuff to do outdoors.

Plus it's a great place to go outside and hottiewatch.

|8.27.07 @ 4:38PM|#

Out of the fifty states, Colorado ranks 51st. They're doing amazingly well!

They give 110%, 100% of the time!

The Wine Commonsewer|8.27.07 @ 4:38PM|#

whereas the bony concentration camp survivor-looking freaks of nature live near public transportation

I thought those were sketchers.

RM,

My folks left St Paul the second they had enough money together to get outta town and for my entire life growing up I heard about how dam cold and miserable it was. Apparently they really did have to walk to school three miles in the snow, uphill, both directions.

|8.27.07 @ 4:42PM|#

Penn and Teller host the Fat Guy Olympics, where a skinny white dude and a fat white dude compete with two short, muscular black guys (who, by the way, are considered obese under the BMI). The black guys come in first and second, the fat guy gets hurt, and the white guy of appropriate weight can't keep his breath.

It's eye-opening for those Americans who think the BMI actually means anything, which, actually, is probably most of us.

e|8.27.07 @ 4:43PM|#

I thought those were sketchers.

huh? Some of them wear Sketchers, others, Reebok...even seen some Timberlands out there..what's yer point..

|8.27.07 @ 4:45PM|#

More important than all this, what state is the phattest? Inquiring minds want to know.

|8.27.07 @ 4:47PM|#

It's eye-opening for those Americans who think the BMI actually means anything, which, actually, is probably most of us.

I'm not sure why BMI even exists. Wouldn't body fat percentage be a better measurement of whether or not a person is obese? Do we know that these obesity numbers come from using BMI as an indicator?
Note: I can't see the video, so if it says in there, my apologies.

The Wine Commonsewer|8.27.07 @ 5:03PM|#

huh? Some of them wear Sketchers, others, Reebok...even seen some Timberlands out there..what's yer point..

It's a joke, man....

Sketchers are tweakers (meth heads). Thus the "bony concentration camp survivor-looking......" that I always thought were sketchers.

The Wine Commonsewer|8.27.07 @ 5:04PM|#

Which makes me wonder why a brand of shoes is named after drug addicts of the worst kind. :-)

Episiarch|8.27.07 @ 5:05PM|#

The BMI is really fucking stupid. Look it up on wikipedia if you want details about it. But it's so nonsensical as a gauge of health that its only usefulness seems to be having put 30 million Americans on the "obese" list overnight when it was adopted in 1998(?).

Which, if you are a health fascist, was a pretty good development, seeing as this is being used to justify all kinds of nanny-state control.

|8.27.07 @ 5:12PM|#

It's kind of weird that this isn't more evenly distributed. I mean, it's not like people in Colorado are so fucking vastly different than people in Nebraska. Since I didn't RTFA, it is possible that their sampling method just sucks?

Coloradans are known to be pretty active. Lots of mountain biking, skiing and hiking. Nebraska is not known for any of these things. All of these activities make you lose weight.

Plus there is a correlation between wealth and obesity. So you would expect to see rich states, like Colorado, to be thinner than poorer states, like Nebraska.

|8.27.07 @ 5:12PM|#

As long as we're noting cool things about us, and before I prepare myself some salmon, a salad, and a yogurt-oats-blue berries-cinnamon-cocoa recipe that I cane up with, I just wanna point out that the Denver area sports the 2nd highest per capita book consumption in the nation-2nd only to the San Fran Bay area. (Ok, DC is technically the 1st but that's just cuz the US government buys so many books with the money that they steal and print.)

We also tend to be more libertarian/capitalist oriented than most of the states. But the elephant in the room here-a very cool thing about the Denver area and Colorado, is that this is the home of H&Rs own fyodor and his fabulous band!!!

http://www.littlefyodor.com/

VM|8.27.07 @ 5:19PM|#

This Moose enthusiastically seconds Rick's recommendation of Little Fyodor!

hier is one of his vids

and is another

enjoy!

e|8.27.07 @ 5:25PM|#

TWC: ohhh alright, thanks for the clarification..I don't get out much, lately.

The Wine Commonsewer|8.27.07 @ 5:35PM|#

Denver, is also home to Reason Mag's former DC editor, wine aficionado, & blues fanatic, Rick Henderson, who is currently knocking out editorial copy for the Rocky Mtn News.

e: it was a pretty obscure joke, something for which I am known and loathed for.

The Wine Commonsewer|8.27.07 @ 5:42PM|#

Auuuuggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

S/B

e: it was a pretty obscure joke, something for which I am known and loathed.

|8.27.07 @ 6:30PM|#

It's eye-opening for those Americans who think the BMI actually means anything, which, actually, is probably most of us.

It's been a while since I saw the P&T:Bullshit! on obesity. That being said, they showed that the BMI was made up in, like, the fucking 1830's, for some completely different purpose.

And no, I don't have Showtime on demand. I use BitTorrent, and that's all ya need...

|8.27.07 @ 8:22PM|#

Most everything I know I learned from my barber... who told me BUFFET is the abbreviation for big ugly fat fuckers eat there.

|8.27.07 @ 8:23PM|#

LA is number 4!!!!!
Alabama, we're coming for ya!

|8.27.07 @ 8:23PM|#

The BMI is a good tool to use as long as you aren't a pro-athlete or weightlifter. If you are that active, use body fat percentage instead.

According to the BMI I'm 25.0, six years ago when I graduated high school I was around 22.0

Beer and pizza as an undergrad will do that to a man....

e|8.27.07 @ 9:07PM|#

Most everything I know I learned from my barber... who told me BUFFET is the abbreviation for big ugly fat fuckers eat there.

Nice..thanks for the laugh!

|8.27.07 @ 9:57PM|#

One more fuck yeah! to the chorus of Colorado-is-not-a-fluke. If anything it proves the role of geography and climate in a state's relative obesity--never gets too hot (or rather, it does get hot, but never humid) or too cold (at least where most of the people live along the front range) and it barely ever rains. And the mountains provide a shit-ton of outdoorsy stuff to do. Excellent combination.

Doctor Duck|8.27.07 @ 11:18PM|#

I find it impossible to believe that fatness knows where the state lines are.

This would be more useful if it were drawn with isobars. "There's a heavy front moving in from Mississippi, with a 30% chance of grease. Clear fries the remainder of the week."

hke|8.27.07 @ 11:54PM|#

I'm surprised that we're 47th here in the Aloha state. It must be all the skinny haole vegan hippies that are keeping us down, because it sure isn't the excessive amount of rice and beef on the mixed plates.

PintofStout|8.28.07 @ 12:21AM|#

Reporting from inside the Gravy Belt, this Ohioan was able to lean over his grotesque fatness to reach the keyboard. I'm in the proximity to Pittsburgh where even your salads have steak, french fries, cheese, eggs, bacon, etc. I don't see how anyone could get fat here.

|8.28.07 @ 1:14AM|#

It must suck to be a porker in Colorado, with all those anorexic ski bunnies disdaining you.

The Wine Commonsewer|8.28.07 @ 2:07AM|#

hke, I hear that. What is it with hamburger patties, rice, and gravy. Or whatever that stuff is on the plate.

Make mine Kahlua pork. mmmmmmm. Now THAT'S doing cholesterol right.

Space Monkey|8.28.07 @ 3:22AM|#

I think the military does it properly.

First check the BMI. If you are in the overweight part of the BMI than the body fat percentage is considered.

People make fun of BMI, but for many fat people who surround themselves with fat friends and relatives, they need some government number to show them the truth: that they're fat. And most of those athletic people with high BMI, they eventually become unathletic people with high BMI as they get older.