Wallethub.com is back with their latest data release, and this time they're revealing which states have the overall biggest weight problems. In their ranking of all 50 states and Washington, DC, it was somewhat surprising to see Montana near the bottom of the list. In fact, we're #41. Our border states (ID, WY, ND, SD) ranged from 30 - 37 on the fat list. Using 31 key metrics, here's how they reached their conclusion,

Our data set ranges from share of obese and overweight population to sugary-beverage consumption among adolescents to obesity-related health care costs.

Washington DC was the healthiest on the list, according to their study, followed by Utah. And while North Dakota took the top position for Most Overweight Adults, Mississippi is #1 for Most Obese Adults.

Source: WalletHub

It's not just about weight, though.

Another interesting highlight in the report is that Montana ranked quite well when it comes to our cholesterol levels. We tied at 47th (with Vermont) for the Lowest % of Adults with High Cholesterol.

Credit; Karen Gallagher Townsquare Media
Credit; Karen Gallagher Townsquare Media
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Montana ranked great with high blood pressure problems.

We came in 49th in the  Adults with High Blood Pressure category. So, there's that. Genetics seems to play a part in high blood pressure. My brother, my dad, and I all struggle with keeping our blood pressure down and none of us are considered heavy.

top view of healthy breakfast ingredients, selective focus
Credit: Magone
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 Just in time for holiday gorging.

The report doesn't note exactly what the key is to have a healthy population, although the easy answer is diet and exercise. I can't speak for what you eat, but most Montanans are fairly active and many of our jobs and hobbies include plenty of carb-burning activity.  Surely that helped with our ranking.

Goosebumps and other bodily reactions, explained

 

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