Tucson, Arizona is the most overweight U.S. city in 2026, according to a new WalletHub study, which compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 19 key indicators of weight-related problems. The data set ranges from the share of physically inactive adults to projected obesity rates by 2050 to healthy-food access.
As a whole, Americans are some of the most overweight people in the world, not just stereotypically but statistically too. In fact, nearly 42% of U.S. adults are obese, and it's costing us. The extra pounds have inflated the cost of obesity-related medical treatment to approximately $190.2 billion per year, and annual productivity losses due to work absenteeism total around $4.3 billion.
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“Obesity is becoming more and more prevalent in the U.S., and it's costing us big time,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “In the most overweight and obese cities, residents often lack easy access to healthy food and recreation opportunities, so investing in those areas should help improve people's diets and exercise regimens, and reduce the financial burden overall.”
In-Depth Look at Tucson, Arizona
Overall, Tucson, Arizona is the most obese city in the U.S. Tucson, Arizona's biggest obesity-related struggles are share of adults who are overweight and share of residents with limited access to healthy foods. When making a plan for tackling obesity and promoting health and fitness in its residents, Tucson, Arizona should focus on tackling these key areas.
On the other hand, conditions in Tucson, Arizona aren't as bad when it comes to share of adults who are obese and share of adults who have had a heart attack. So even though some residents do have problems with their weight, with a little effort, it's still possible to live a healthy lifestyle in Tucson, Arizona.
Most Overweight Cities in the U.S.
Overall Rank | Metro Area | Total Score | Obesity Rank | Health Consequences Rank | Food & Fitness Rank |
1 | Little Rock, AR | 83.96 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
2 | McAllen, TX | 83.22 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
3 | Memphis, TN | 83.09 | 17 | 1 | 2 |
4 | Jackson, MS | 82.49 | 1 | 14 | 17 |
5 | Augusta, GA | 81.78 | 7 | 9 | 8 |
6 | Lafayette, LA | 81.66 | 8 | 6 | 15 |
7 | Fayetteville, AR | 81.62 | 2 | 16 | 27 |
8 | Shreveport, LA | 81.42 | 11 | 7 | 12 |
9 | Mobile, AL | 81.38 | 15 | 2 | 13 |
10 | Baton Rouge, LA | 80.2 | 10 | 3 | 29 |
The methodology can be found on the full version of the article on WalletHub.
