Mississippi is the fattest state in the United States for the second year in a row, with Hawaii being the skinniest, according to a new Gallup poll.
The poll on obesity rates released Wednesday found that the national rate rose to about 27.7 percent of the population in 2014, up from 27.1 percent the year before.
Gallup said obesity rates were highest in Southern and Midwestern states and lowest in Western and Northeastern states, a pattern that has continued since Gallup started tracking the rates in 2008.
Mississippi had an obesity rate of 35.2 percent of the population. The rest of the top five was West Virginia (34.3), Louisiana (33.2), Arkansas (33) and Oklahoma (32.6).
By contrast, Hawaii has a 19 percent obesity rate. The Aloha State is followed by Colorado, with a rate of about 20 percent.
Colorado has had one of the two lowest obesity rates each year since 2008, Gallup said.
The data was collected through telephone interviews last year of more than 170,000 adults.
The respondents gave their height and weight, which is used to calculate their body mass index. A score of 30 or higher is considered obese.
The pollster also found a strong link between obesity and struggling in other aspects of life such as finances, work and relationships.
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