The Worst States For Exercise: How Do The Top 10 Compare To The Nation’s Fattest States?
By now it’s old hat that Americans aren’t healthy. At least not the majority of us. But abstract data only goes so far into explaining just how out of shape we are. Luckily, a recent Gallup poll helps put that fitness into perspective, listing the 10 worst states for exercise and also the 10 best.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the similarities between the new ranking and Gallup’s recent release of the 10 most obese and least obese states are made clear immediately. Both top spots are different, but West Virginia takes the silver as second-laziest and second-fattest. Delaware was the least active and the third-most obese. Overall, five states shared both lists: West Virginia, Delaware, South Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee.
Gallup set its standard for exercise as 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity at least three times per week. Here is the top 10:
1. Delaware 46.5%
2. West Virginia 47.1%
3. Alabama 47.5%
4. New Jersey 47.7%
5. Rhode Island 48.2%
6. Tennessee 49.2%
7. New York 49.3%
8. Ohio 49.3%
9. Indiana 49.4%
10. South Carolina 49.7%
There are a number of things to glean from this list. First, the mix is pretty evenly distributed between Northern and Southern states, even if they’re pretty much all on the East Coast. This could signal a mix of influencing factors between weather, city layout, and ratio of technical jobs to manual labor jobs. New York, for instance — a city in which walking and public transportation are all but required — was found to be among the 10 least obese states, yet comes in 44th place when it comes to exercise regularity.
The Best States for Exercise
1. Vermont 65.3%
2. Hawaii 62.2%
3. Montana 60.1%
4. Alaska 60.1%
5. Colorado 59.8%
6. Oregon 58.0%
7. Idaho 57.7%
8. New Mexico 57.4%
9. Nebraska 56.3%
10. North Dakota 56.0%
This list is noticeably different (aside from just the names, of course). Largely a West Coast bunch, with the exception of Vermont, the confluence of outdoorsy populations and warm weather likely encourage people to be more active. In cold weather, too, states like Vermont, Colorado, and Alaska, offer reasons to be active outside. This runs contrary to the Top 10 Worst States, which see their inhabitants holed up until winter’s end.
This list is also fairly similar to the 10 least obese states, with Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, and Hawaii finding a home on both. Montana in particular takes the top spot as the least obese state and the third-most exercising state.
What to Take Away?
While both lists may be heartening, as nearly 50 percent of the least active people meet Gallup’s exercise standard, that standard may be somewhat arbitrary. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate to intense physical exercise per week, or two full days more than Gallup’s poll sought to learn.
A daunting task on its face, but the CDC says taking three 10-minute walks daily, five times a week accomplishes the goal. And if we’re ever to bring the all-time high obesity rate of 35.7 percent down to a healthier level, it should be a goal worth shooting for.