Obesity Rising, But Mass. Still 4th Thinnest State

Massachusetts is one of the thinnest states in the country even as local waistlines are continuing to expand. A new study has ranked Massachusetts the fourth least obese state, behind Connecticut, the District of Columbia and Colorado.

Even so, Bay State obesity rates are climbing.

The study by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found Massachusetts' adult obesity rate is now 22.3 percent.

Fifteen years ago, Massachusetts was still the fourth thinnest state in the country, but had an obesity rate of 11.6 percent.

That's an increase of more than 90 percent.

The greater levels of obesity have translated into higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure.

The study also found blacks and Hispanics in Massachusetts have higher obesity rates than white residents.