Connecticut has one of the lowest obesity rates in the country and has the seventh lowest rate in the country, tying with Nevada and New York, according to a recent report.
But about a quarter of the adult population here is overweight and that is still too high from a disease prevention standpoint, experts caution.
Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire have the lowest obesity rates in the nation. At 34.9 percent, Mississippi had the highest obesity rate, while Colorado had the lowest, weighing in at 20.7 percent, according to the Washington Post.
The obesity statistics are in a new study from the from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which also shows that 12 states have an obesity rate higher than 30 percent.
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of higher than 30. A person's BMI is determined through a calculation using their height and weight. A normal BMI is between 20 to 25 and a BMI over 25 is considered overweight. The CDC has an online tool that can quickly and easily determine BMI for both adults and teens.
In 2006, obesity-related medical costs totaled $147 billion in the U.S., the Post reports, or nearly 10 percent of total medical spending in the country.
