Despite Efforts, America Remains Dangerously Overweight

Newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilized new methodologies, making year-to-year comparisons of obesity rates difficult. Regardless, the data shows America's ongoing obesity problem. Tim Carman, of The Washington Post, reports on the new numbers: "no matter how you slice and dice the numbers, one thing remains clear: The nation is dreadfully overweight, which translates into billions of dollars a year in health-care costs, among other impacts [PDF]."

So, who tops the list? States in the South and Midwest dominate the top 10, with Mississippi and Louisiana leading with over 1/3 of the population obese. Colorado is the fittest state with a 20.7% obesity rate.