Twelve states currently have an adult obesity rate above 30%, according to a press release about the new analysis issued by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The analysis used the state obesity rates made available today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Mississippi had the highest rate of obesity at 34.9%, while Colorado had the lowest rate at 20.7%. Twenty-six of the 30 states with the highest obesity rates are in the Midwest and South. State-by-state adult obesity rates

According to the newly released CDC data, part of the “2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey” (BRFSS), the obesity rates by state from highest to lowest were:

1. Mississippi (34.9%)

2. Louisiana (33.4%)

3. West Virginia (32.4%)

4. Alabama (32.0%)

5. Michigan (31.3%)

6. Oklahoma (31.1%)

7. Arkansas (30.9%); 8. (tie) Indiana (30.8%); and South Carolina (30.8%)

10. (tie) Kentucky (30.4%); and Texas (30.4%)

12. Missouri (30.3%); 13. (tie) Kansas (29.6%); and Ohio (29.6%)

15. (tie) Tennessee (29.2%); and Virginia (29.2%)

17. North Carolina (29.1%); 18. Iowa (29.0%)

19. Delaware (28.8%)

20. Pennsylvania (28.6%)

21. Nebraska (28.4%)

22. Maryland (28.3%)

23. South Dakota (28.1%)

24. Georgia (28.0%)

25. (tie) Maine (27.8%); and North Dakota (27.8%)

27. Wisconsin (27.7%)

28. Alaska (27.4%)

29. Illinois (27.1%)

30. Idaho (27.0%)

31. Oregon (26.7%)

32. Florida (26.6%)

33. Washington (26.5%)

34. New Mexico (26.3%)

35. New Hampshire (26.2%)

36. Minnesota (25.7%)

37. (tie) Rhode Island (25.4%); and Vermont (25.4%)

39. Wyoming (25.0%)

40. Arizona (24.7%)

41. Montana (24.6%)

42. (tie) Connecticut (24.5%); Nevada (24.5%); and New York (24.5%)

45. Utah (24.4%)

46. California (23.8%)

47. (tie) District of Columbia (23.7%); and New Jersey (23.7%)

49. Massachusetts (22.7%)

50. Hawaii (21.8%)

51. Colorado (20.7%)

Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity. Individuals with a body mass index (a calculation based on weight and height ratios) of 30 or higher are considered obese.

CDC has modernized the methodology for BRFSS this year, setting a new baseline for comparisons. The full data set can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/brfss/technical_infodata/surveydata/2011.htm.

“Obesity has contributed to a stunning rise in chronic disease rates and health care costs. It is one of the biggest health crises the country has ever faced,” said TFAH Executive Director Jeffrey Levi, PhD. “The good news is that we have a growing body of evidence and approaches that we know can help reduce obesity, improve nutrition, and increase physical activity based on making healthier choices easier for Americans. The bad news is we’re not investing anywhere near what we need to in order to bend the obesity curve and see the returns in terms of health and savings.”

In 2006, obesity-related medical costs totaled $147 billion a year, or nearly 10 percent of total medical spending, according to a 2011 study in Health Affairs. The bulk of the spending is generated from treating obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes.

“Our nation has made important inroads to creating healthier communities,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, MBA, RWJF president and CEO. “Some cities and states that have taken comprehensive action to address the epidemic are beginning to see declines in their obesity rates. But we need to expand and intensify our efforts. Investing in prevention today will mean a healthier tomorrow for our children.”

Later this summer, TFAH and RWJF will release the 2012 edition of F as in Fat, the annual report that analyzes state obesity rates and policy efforts to address the epidemic, and provides policy recommendations. For the first time, the 2012 report will include a study that forecasts 2030 obesity rates in each state and the likely resulting rise in obesity-related disease rates and healthcare costs.

The analysis also will examine the potential impact of a 5% reduction in body mass index (BMI) levels and the number of Americans who could be spared from type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke, hypertension, arthritis and obesity-related cancers if they were able to achieve that reduction. Additionally, the projection will feature the cost savings that could be achieved in each state as a result of a 5% BMI reduction. For a 6-foot-tall person weighing 200 pounds, a 5 percent reduction in BMI would be the equivalent of losing roughly 10 pounds.

The 2011 F as in Fat report is available on TFAH’s website at http://www.healthyamericans.org and the upcoming 2012 F as in Fat report will be released later this summer.