Healthnews – In the analysis of data from all 50 states in 2023, the Healthnews team found a significant correlation — regions with higher stress levels tend to have elevated obesity rates. This indicates a close connection between stress and health, impacting both mental and physical well-being.
Based on the collected statistics, West Virginia has the highest obesity rate at 40.60%, alongside a notably high stress level score of 57.58. This trend is closely followed by Kentucky, Alabama, and Mississippi.
For instance, Mississippi ranks 5th in obesity at 39.10% and also registers one of the highest stress scores at 58.80, underscoring the potential link between psychological stress and unhealthy weight gain.
Conversely, states with lower obesity rates, such as Colorado and Hawaii (25.10% and 25.00%, respectively), have lower stress levels reported.
Southern pattern
The Southern states, such as West Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, show a particularly concerning combination of high stress and obesity rates.
Research shows that Southern states have environments with a higher density of fast-food restaurants and less access to healthy food options.
The prevalence of obesity is associated with area poverty status, and southern United States regions, particularly the South Central states, have been found to have higher obesity rates, which overlap with contrasts by area poverty status.
In addition, rural areas, which are more prevalent in the South, are associated with higher odds of obesity compared to urban areas. Factors such as limited access to supermarkets, clinical settings, and recreational opportunities in rural areas impact the ability to practice healthy behaviors.
While the overall trend supports the stress–obesity link, there are exceptions. States like South Dakota, with a relatively low stress level of 35.15, still report a high obesity rate of 38.40%.
Such anomalies indicate that other factors, including lifestyle choices, access to healthy foods, and genetic predispositions, also play crucial roles in obesity prevalence …
