SURVEY RESPONSES INDICATED THAT NEARLY ALL U.S. STATES HAD AN OBESITY RATE BELOW 24 PERCENT, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT IN THE JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE. BUT WHEN EZZATI AND HIS COLLEAGUES "CORRECTED" THESE DATA USING NHANES NUMBERS, THEY FOUND THAT MOST STATES HAD OBESITY RATES HIGHER THAN 24 PERCENT. TEXAS AND MISSISSIPPI HAD THE HIGHEST OBESITY RATES AMONG MEN, AT 31 PERCENT AND 30 PERCENT, RESPECTIVELY. FOUR STATES - ALABAMA, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI AND TEXAS - TIED WITH WASHINGTON, D.C., FOR THE HIGHEST OBESITY RATE AMONG WOMEN, AT 37 PERCENT. THE STUDY FOUND THAT YOUNG AND MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN GENERALLY SHAVED POUNDS OFF OF THEIR WEIGHT WHEN ASKED OVER THE PHONE, WHILE YOUNGER ADULT -- PARTICULARLY MEN -- TENDED TO OVERESTIMATE THEIR HEIGHT. ALL OF THIS MATTERS, EZZATI EXPLAINED, BECAUSE PUBLIC HEALTH POLICIES AND PROGRAMS AIMED AT FIGHTING OBESITY ARE CARRIED OUT AT THE STATE LEVEL. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF EACH STATE'S BURDEN. THE FINDINGS ALSO HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT OBESITY IS "VERY MUCH A SOUTHERN PROBLEM," EZZATI SAID. TO ENSURE THAT STATE DATA ARE MORE ACCURATE -- AND THAT ADEQUATE RESOURCES GO TO THE MOST NEEDY STATES -- EZZATI SUGGESTS THAT STATE SURVEY NUMBERS COULD BE CORRECTED IN THE SAME MANNER HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES USED. BETTER STILL, THE RESEARCHER SAID, PHONE-SURVEY RESPONDENTS COULD BE ASKED AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW TO HAVE AN EXAM TO VERIFY THEIR WEIGHT AND HEIGHT REPORTS.
