Mississippi Fats
Not exactly a proud day for Mississippians. According to new obesity research, Mississippi is the fattest state in the nation. Emily Wagster Pettus of the Associated Press reports:
According to a new study, this Deep South state is the fattest in the nation. The Trust for America's Health, a research group that focuses on disease prevention, says Mississippi is the first state where more than 30 percent of adults are considered obese.Don’t fret Mississippi. With the way this country eats, you’ve go plenty of company. For more news on obesity check out DiseaseProof’s obesity archive.
Aside from making Mississippi the butt of late-night talk show jokes, the obesity epidemic has serious implications for public policy.
If current trends hold, the state could face enormous increases in the already significant costs of treating diabetes, heart disease and other ailments caused by the extra poundage.
"We've got a long way to go. We love fried chicken and fried anything and all the grease and fatback we can get in Mississippi," said Democratic state Rep. Steve Holland, chairman of the Public Health Committee.
