The agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that self-reported obesity rates in these states were over 30 percent. Mississippi respondents reported the highest rate of obesity, at 32 percent, and Tennessee had the third-highest rate at 30.1 percent. Colorado had the lowest rate of obesity at 18.7 percent.
Nationally, the number of adults who claim to be obese rose 1.7 percent from 2005 to 2007. Now, 25.6 percent of Americans consider themselves as obese, up from 23.9 percent in 2005.
The study found obesity is more prominent in the South, where 27 percent of respondents were classified as obese. The percentage of obese adults was 25.3 in the Midwest, 23.3 percent in the Northeast, and 22.1 percent in the West.
CDC's 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey is similar to the same survey the three previous years. Mississippi has had the highest obesity rate every year since 2004 but Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia and Louisiana have ranked at the top of the list.
The telephone survey collects information from those 18 years and older. For this survey, more than 350,000 adults are interviewed each year, making BRFSS the largest telephone health survey in the world.
The CDC defines obesity as a body mass index of 30 or above. Body mass index is calculated using height and weight. Depending on the height, a BMI of 30 indicates a person is anywhere from 50 to 90 pounds overweight. Obesity is associated with reduced quality of life, heart disease, diabetes and premature death.
