Study: Indiana among top 20 most obese states in the US

INDIANAPOLIS — Are Hoosiers fatter than Americans in other states? According to a new WalletHub study, the answer to that question might be yes.

Indiana clocked in at No. 19 in WalletHub’s ranking of the 50 U.S. states from fattest to healthiest. The Hoosier State ranks just in front of some of its Midwest peers like Nebraska (21), Missouri (23), Wisconsin (24), Iowa (26) and Illinois (27).

The top 15 fattest states in the U.S., according to WalletHub, are West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Texas, Delaware, Oklahoma, Maine, Ohio, South Carolina, North Dakota and Kansas.

WalletHub used numerous metrics to determine which states in the U.S. are the most obese. Below is a list of some of the metrics that were used:

• Percentage of overweight adults
• Percentage of obese adults
• Percentage of overweight children
• Percentage of obese children
• Percentage of physically inactive adults
• Percentage of adults with high cholesterol
• Percentage of adults eating less than one serving of fruits and vegetables a day
• Percentage of adults with Type 2 Diabetes
• Percentage of adults with high blood pressure
• Heart disease rate
• Obesity-related death rate
• Percentage of healthcare costs linked to obesity
• Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among adults
• Share of schools that have banned students from purchasing soda
• Amount of healthy food accessible in the state
• Comprehensiveness of school nutrition and physical activity policies
• Fitness centers per capita

Two Indiana cities also ranked inside the top 50 in WalletHub’s list of the most obese towns in the U.S. Fort Wayne was No. 29 and Indianapolis was No. 40.

In its list of the most obese states, WalletHub also provided information on each state’s favorite comfort foods. That list also had corresponding nutritional information attached to the foods.

According to WalletHub, Indiana’s favorite comfort food is sugar cream pie. The nutrition information attached to WalletHub’s entry for sugar cream pie is 400 calories per serving.

WalletHub’s study indicates that its list of the most obese states is also a reflection of a larger weight problem Americans have. Per the CDC, four in 10 U.S. adults aged 20 and older are obese. One in 10 U.S. adults over 20 is considered “severely obese.”

Findings from the Physical Activity Council also show that about 61.8 million Americans aged six and older were considered “completely inactive” in 2024.

The problems have also led to a boom in the obesity and weight-loss industry. WalletHub estimates that the industry generates $90 billion per year and that obesity costs the U.S healthcare system $173 million a year.