New Evidence: The Link Between Stress Levels and Obesity in the US

Published on February 20, 2024

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Hand smashes burger and fries — Image by Healthnews

In the analysis of data from all 50 states in 2023, the Healthnews team found a significant correlation — regions with higher stress levels tend to have elevated obesity rates. This indicates a close connection between stress and health, impacting both mental and physical well-being.

Based on the collected statistics, West Virginia has the highest obesity rate at 40.60%, alongside a notably high stress level score of 57.58. This trend is closely followed by Kentucky, Alabama, and Mississippi.

For instance, Mississippi ranks 5th in obesity at 39.10% and also registers one of the highest stress scores at 58.80, underscoring the potential link between psychological stress and unhealthy weight gain. Conversely, states with lower obesity rates, such as Colorado and Hawaii (25.10% and 25.00%, respectively), have lower stress levels reported.

#	State	Obesity rate	Stress level score
1	West Virginia	40.60%	57.58
2	Kentucky	40.30%	53.41
3	Alabama	39.90%	54.55
4	Oklahoma	39.40%	52.76
5	Mississippi	39.10%	58.8
6	Arkansas	38.70%	55.23
7	Louisiana	38.60%	58.32
8	South Dakota	38.40%	35.15
9	Ohio	37.80%	45.14
10	Missouri	37.30%	41.42
11	Iowa	36.40%	36.59
12	Indiana	36.30%	45.67
13	Texas	36.10%	53.34
14	South Carolina	36.10%	48.55
15	North Carolina	36.00%	47.38
16	Kansas	36.00%	41.5
17	Nebraska	35.90%	38.23
18	North Dakota	35.20%	37.28
19	Tennessee	35.00%	52.7
20	New Mexico	34.60%	58.24
21	Michigan	34.40%	45.31
22	Maryland	34.30%	40.31
23	Illinois	34.20%	43.01
24	Virginia	34.20%	37.53
25	Georgia	33.90%	48.03
26	Delaware	33.90%	42
27	Wisconsin	33.90%	39.6
28	Alaska	33.50%	49.08
29	Pennsylvania	33.30%	41.64
30	Minnesota	32.40%	30.42
31	Wyoming	32.00%	48.02
32	Maine	31.90%	42.69
33	Montana	31.80%	43.12
34	Idaho	31.60%	39.14
35	Nevada	31.30%	57.17
36	Arizona	31.30%	49.38
37	Utah	30.90%	34.36
38	New Hampshire	30.60%	34.97
39	Oregon	30.40%	46.73
40	Connecticut	30.40%	37.17
41	Rhode Island	30.10%	38.4
42	New York	29.10%	45.46
43	Vermont	29.00%	37.64
44	Washington	28.80%	43.2
45	New Jersey	28.20%	36.59
46	Florida	28.00%	43.58
47	California	27.60%	45.26
48	Massachusetts	27.40%	36.55
49	Colorado	25.10%	41.64
50	Hawaii	25.00%	37.66

Southern pattern

The Southern states, such as West Virginia, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, show a particularly concerning combination of high stress and obesity rates. Research shows that Southern states have environments with a higher density of fast-food restaurants and less access to healthy food options.

The prevalence of obesity is associated with area poverty status, and southern United States regions, particularly the South Central states, have been found to have higher obesity rates, which overlap with contrasts by area poverty status.

In addition, rural areas, which are more prevalent in the South, are associated with higher odds of obesity compared to urban areas. Factors such as limited access to supermarkets, clinical settings, and recreational opportunities in rural areas impact the ability to practice healthy behaviors.

While the overall trend supports the stress–obesity link, there are exceptions. States like South Dakota, with a relatively low stress level of 35.15, still report a high obesity rate of 38.40%. Such anomalies indicate that other factors, including lifestyle choices, access to healthy foods, and genetic predispositions, also play crucial roles in obesity prevalence.

Background

The research articles support the notion that stress is associated with obesity. For example, a study from the Archives of Public Health found that work-related stress increases the odds of obesity. Another study indicated that higher stress levels were linked with less physical activity, which contributes to obesity. Stress leads to unhealthy eating behaviors, such as overeating or choosing high-calorie, high-fat foods.

While these studies and the provided statistics suggest a correlation between stress and obesity, correlation does not imply causation. Other factors, such as lifestyle choices, socioeconomic status, and genetics, also play significant roles.

The relationship between stress and obesity can be bidirectional, where obesity can also lead to increased stress levels.