What State is Ranked the Fattest State in the Nation ?

Mississippi literally "takes the cake" as the state with the highest percentage of overweight people. So what is going on in the Magnolia state ? What do they like to eat in Mississippi ? Why would Mississippi and a few other southern states be the place of highest concentration of obese folks ? Let's take a look at the big state of Mississippi and how it got to be the the fattest state in the nation.

The Democratic Chairman of the Public Health Committe in Mississippi says residents love "fried anything" including fried chicken and all the fatback and grease they can get. Yum Yum! They also like catfish stew, ( A very popular dish.) corn bread, green beans cooked in ham fat, slabs of pork ribs, greens, and fried pickles. Hmmm... fried pickles ? Well that public health Chairman did say "fried anything". Belzoni Mississippi is called the "Catfish capital of the world.". Just as a flavorful side note, root beer was invented in Mississippi in 1898.

With all the fried fatty food being eaten, it becomes apparent what has happened in Mississippi. The information age happened to Mississippi. Just recently our national economy swung from manufacturing, or from the " Industrial Age " into what is now called the " Information Age. " This is a different type of work that does not require as much physical stress on the body. Instead of working in factories, people are sitting at desks.

As the information age sets in to the USA, more and more states in the South are following in the footsteps of Mississippi. The third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth places on the list of fattest states are held by southern states. Mississippians did not change their diets just because the information age arrived. Sitting behind a desk after eating a big plate of "fatback" means results are literally spreading in the South. While Mississippi does not contain the fattest city, ( Houston ) it is nevertheless in a bad situation health wise.

Another factor to contribute to the number one ranking of 'fattest state in the nation", is Mississippi is a relatively poor state. All that fried food is fried for a reason; it is an easy way to add calories to a cheap meal, and make it taste good at the same time. For this reason poor states in America are some of the fattest also. Mississippi ranks absolutely last in personal income per capita according to the 2000 census bureau.

Is there a connection between being first in fat and last in income? You bet there is. This connection between being ranked the fattest state in the nation and a low personal income is easy to see when just three states have a lower poverty level worse than Mississippi.

The information age will no doubt take root deeper into American culture, and Mississippi will have to adapt. The fried foods will have to be substituted for something a little more healthy, the economic situation will have to improve, and hopefully Mississippi will lose their ranking of fattest state in the nation. Good luck Mississippi !