Good News; Maybe the South Isn’t the Fattest After All

If a survey-taker called and said she was doing research on obesity in the US and asked how much you weigh, would you tell the truth?

The South always gets a bad rap for having the biggest obesity problems, but now there's new evidence that shows perhaps we're just more honest!  Some of the worst obesity problems in the US are said to be in southern states like Mississippi and Alabama, and Texas doesn't fare a whole lot better.  But maybe that's just because those in northern states aren't quite as forthcoming with the details about their body weight.

A University of Alabama at Birmingham study shows a significantly higher percentage of obese people in a region of central and northwest states including Minnesota, Kansas and North and South Dakota - higher than originally thought.  And the obesity rate there may be even higher than obesity rates in the south.

Why does everyone think the south is so fat?  Because of telephone research done by the Centers for Disease Control, where the surveyor asks for height and weight, according to the study.  That gave people the opportunity to fudge the truth a little.  I'd tell the truth now that I'm think, but back in my chubby days I probably would have left the number at least twenty pounds short.  Would you?

UAB researchers found, when people were actually weighed instead of just answering questions about their weight, the long-standing numbers didn't add up.

So who IS the fattest?  Now it looks like the region including Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and North and South Dakota is number one, and the southern states are now middle-of-the-pack.

This calls for a beer and some deep fried chicken wings!  We have some catching up to do.