HOUSTON (KIAH/WKRN) — Four of Tennessee’s major cities ranked in the top 20 of a recent report listing the most overweight and obese cities in America.

March is National Nutrition Month, and WalletHub recently released its report on 2021’s Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S.

Memphis came in 2nd, with Knoxville and Chattanooga at 10th and 11th respectively, and Nashville was ranked 20th.

With obesity possibly tripling the risk of hospitalization due to COVID-19, the personal-finance website is calling attention to the communities where weight-related problems are most prevalent.

It compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 19 key metrics.  

Among the key stats are the share of adults who are obese, physically inactive, diabetic and suffering from high blood pressure. Here are some highlights:

Fattest Cities in America
1. McAllen, TX11. Chattanooga, TN
2. Memphis, TN12. Tulsa, OK
3. Baton Rouge, LA13. Augusta, GA
4. Little Rock, AR14. Greenville, SC
5. Shreveport, LA15. Fayetteville, AR
6. Birmingham, AL16. Myrtle Beach, SC
7. Jackson, MS17. San Antonio, TX
8. Mobile, AL18. Wichita, KS
9. Lafayette, LA19. New Orleans, LA
10. Knoxville, TN20. Nashville, TN
  • McAllen, Texas, has the highest share of obese adults, 44.90%, which is 2.4 times higher than in Asheville, North Carolina, the metro area with the lowest at 18.50%.
     
  • McAllen also has the highest share of physically inactive adults, 36.90%, which is 2.2 times higher than in Provo-Orem, Utah, the metro area with the lowest at 16.50%.
     
  • El Paso, Texas, has the highest share of diabetic adults, 14.60%, which is 2.3 times higher than in Denver, the metro area with the lowest at 6.40%.
     
  • Jackson, Mississippi, has the highest share of adults with high blood pressure, 40.60%, which is 1.8 times higher than in San Jose, California, the metro area with the lowest at 22.80%.

You can read the full report on WalletHub.