WASHINGTON - No longer just the province of the wealthy, GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are now widespread tools in anti-obesity treatment. According to a Gallup poll, GLP-1 usage rates have nearly quadrupled since 2024, coinciding with a meaningful decline in the national obesity rate.

But the breakthrough drugs are far from universally accessible, and obesity remains a critical public health challenge in the United States. The prevalence of obesity varies significantly by geography, with regional disparities shaped by systemic factors like income, education, access to nutritious food, built environments that support physical activity, and local investments in public health.

As part of the 2026 Best States rankings, U.S. News evaluated obesity rates across the country. Using data from the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, researchers tracked the age-adjusted percentage of obese adults in each state.

The national obesity rate stood at 34.2% in 2024, the latest year for which state-level data is available.

Obesity rates show strong geographic clustering, with the highest rates in the South and Midwest. Conversely, the states with the lowest obesity rates are largely concentrated in the Mountain West, Northeast and West Coast.

These are the 10 most obese states in the country.

10. Kentucky
9. Nebraska
8. Tennessee
7. Kansas
6. Indiana
5. Alabama
4. Louisiana
3. Arkansas
2. Mississippi
1. West Virginia. (Source: U.S. News)

Story Date: August 6, 2026