Obesity in Tennessee: State Among Top 10 in 2016

Tennessee is among the most obese states in the country, according to the latest report by the Centers for Disease Control. The state is now ranked No. 9, with 33.8 percent of the state believed to be obese.

That's up from 31.2 percent last year, when Tennessee was ranked No. 13. The CDC releases annual obesity rates each September based on larger, self-reported surveys on behavioral risk factors.

In every state, at least one in five adults is obese. Colorado has the least, at 20.2 percent. At No. 4 among obesity rates last year, Louisiana has moved to the top of the list with 36.2 percent. Other states with notable increases included Alabama, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon and Maine.

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.

The CDC provides additional funding to 32 states to improve access to healthy foods and increase outreach on the importance of physical activity. In Tennessee, the CDC spent more than $275,000 in the last fiscal year to address obesity in the state.

Tennessee has launched education campaigns like "Healthy Park, Healthy Person" to connect residents with close-to-home recreation opportunities, as well as other education programs.

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.

"Efforts are needed to combat the prevalence of obesity in areas where the problem is the worst, particularly rural areas," the CDC noted in the latest call for grant funding applications in August. "There is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach that works for rural communities in regards to health initiatives."

Rankings of self-reported obesity prevalence, according to the CDC survey:

1. Louisiana, 36.2
2. Alabama, 35.6
3. Mississippi, 35.6
4. West Virginia, 35.6
5. Kentucky, 34.6
6. Arkansas, 34.5
7. Kansas, 34.2
8. Oklahoma, 33.9
9. Tennessee, 33.8
10. Missouri, 32.4
11. Texas, 32.4
12. Iowa, 32.1
13. South Carolina, 31.7
14. Guam, 31.6
15. Nebraska, 31.4
16. Indiana, 31.3
17. Michigan, 31.2
18. North Dakota, 31
19. Illinois, 30.8
20. Georgia, 30.7
21. Wisconsin, 30.7
22. South Dakota, 30.4
23. North Carolina, 30.1
24. Oregon, 30.1
25. Maine, 30
26. Pennsylvania, 30
27. Alaska, 29.8
28. Ohio, 29.8
29. Delaware, 29.7
30. Puerto Rico, 29.5
31. Virginia, 29.2
32. Wyoming, 29
33. Maryland, 28.9
34. New Mexico, 28.8
35. Idaho, 28.6
36. Arizona, 28.4
37. Florida, 26.8
38. Nevada, 26.7
39. Washington, 26.4
40. New Hampshire, 26.3
41. Minnesota, 26.1
42. Rhode Island, 26
43. New Jersey, 25.6
44. Connecticut, 25.3
45. Vermont, 25.1
46. New York, 25
47. Utah, 24.5
48. Massachusetts, 24.3
49. California, 24.2
50. Montana, 23.6
51. Hawaii, 22.7
52. District of Columbia, 22.1
53. Colorado, 20.2

Photo provided by CDC/ Debora Cartagena