New study ranks Ohio county among most obese in U.S.

A new study has ranked a county in Ohio among the most obese in America.

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U.S. News ranked the 26 most obese counties in America based on data used in the 2021 Healthiest Communities analysis.

According to U.S. News, obesity in the United States is not just an “individual public health concern,” but a “full-blown epidemic.”

In 2022, nearly 34% of adults in the U.S. were considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Obesity is associated with other health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, and cancer, U.S. News reports .

The study found that many counties with the highest obesity rates are in the South.

Scioto County, located in southern Ohio, ranked as the second most obese county in America.

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The county has a population of nearly 74,000 and has an obesity rate of 47.4%, according to U.S. News .

The top 10 most obese counties:

1. Lowndes County, Alabama

2. Scioto County, Ohio

3. Sumter County, Alabama

4. Portsmouth County, Virginia

5. Noxubee County, Mississippi

6. Sharkey County, Mississippi

7. Macon County, Alabama

8. Quitman County, Mississippi

9. Ziebach County, South Dakota

10. St. Francis County, Arkansas