(Newser)
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America is the fattest country in the world, and Mississippi the fattest state. But where are the most overweight cities? Surprisingly, none of the top 10 are in Mississippi. Instead, the metro area of McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas, close to the border with Mexico, tips the scales at No. 1 with a 38.8% obesity rate, reports MSNBC. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index estimates that obesity-related medical expenses cost the city $410.9 million each year—that's especially steep considering about half the people there don't have health insurance.
Other "leading" cities include:
- Binghamton, New York: No. 2 with a 37.6% obesity rate
- Rockford, Illinois: No. 4 at 35.5%
- Topeka, Kansas: No. 8 at 33.3.%
- Reading, Pennsylvania: No 10 at 32.7%.
All told, CDC officials estimate obesity costs Americans $147 billion each year. The one bit of good(ish) news—apparently America's overall overweight numbers have finally stabilized, after rising for decades.
