How Overweight is Michigan? Here’s What New Study Finds

While we love to see Michigan crush it in national rankings, the Mitten State can't always come out on top. Recently, for example, Michigan was found to be less than stellar in terms of jobs—and even labeled the state with the laziest workers.

Of course, studies like these don’t tell the full story. There’s a lot they can’t capture—but it’s still interesting to see how Michigan stacks up against other states. So, how does the state fare when it comes to being overweight or obese? According to a new study, Michigan lands in the top 20 most overweight and obese states in the country.

Study on Most Overweight States

To figure out the most overweight and obese states, WalletHub compared them across three categories: overall weight, health outcomes, and access to healthy food and fitness options. They analyzed 31 metrics, including the share of obese adults and children, rates of related diseases, access to healthy food, and levels of physical activity. WalletHub combined all that data into a single score for each state, giving a snapshot of where unhealthy habits and excess weight are most common.

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Using WalletHub’s ranking, Michigan is ranked the 18th most overweight state. Overall the top spots were dominated by southern states, though Midwest states like Ohio and Indiana also fell in the top 20.

Michigan’s Obesity Score Breakdown

Michigan scored 61.75 overall. Breaking it down, the state struggles most with obesity-related health outcomes, ranking 14th—meaning many residents face conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

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In terms of actual overweight and obesity prevalence, Michigan sits in the middle of the pack at 25th, showing that a significant portion of the population carries extra weight. The bright spot? When it comes to access to healthy food and fitness options, Michigan ranks 4th, suggesting that healthy choices and opportunities to stay active are widely available—even if habits haven’t fully caught up.

America's Most Overweight State: West Virginia

As far as the most overweight state, that title goes to West Virginia, with overall score of 75.24. The state ranks 1st both for obesity and overweight prevalence and for health consequences.

READ MORE: Michigan Location Crowned Best Small College Town in U.S. 

The Top 20 Most Overweight States

Here's the rest of Wallethub's top 20 most overweight states:

1. West Virginia
2. Mississippi
3. Arkansas
4. Louisiana
5. Alabama
6. Tennessee
7. Kentucky
8. Texas
9. Delaware
10. Oklahoma
11. Maine
12. Ohio
13. South Carolina
14. North Dakota
15. Kansas
16. New Mexico
17. Georgia
18. Michigan
19. Indiana
20. North Carolina