Wed
Jul 1 2009
10:42 am

Scanning down this ranking of states by rate of adult obesity one pattern stands out: the fattest states in America voted for McCain and the thinnest voted for Obama.

(link...)

Here are the top 10 fattest states:

continued...

1: MS
2: AL
3: WV
4: TN
5: SC
6: OK
7: KY
8: LA

After two blue states, MI and OH check in at 9 and 10, the red states return for the most part:

11: AR
12: NC (blue)
13: MO
14: TX
15: GA
16: IN (blue)
17: DE (blue)
18: AK
19: KS
20: NE
21: SD

As for the thinnest (and healthiest) states, the pattern is equally clear. Excepting UT, MT, and WY, the thin states comprise Obama country.

51: CO
50: MA
49: CT
48: RI
47: HI
46: VT
45: DC
44: UT (red)
43: MT (red)
42: NJ
41: CA
40: NH
39: FL
38: WY (red)
37: NY
36: NM
35: ME

Now, it's possible that the fattest voters in the red states are actually Democrats. In the Deep South that would mean primarily African Americans. But West Virginia, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Kentucky have relatively small black populations. And the District of Columbia is majority African American; yet, it is actually the 7th thinnest jurisdiction.

So race is probably not the explanation here.

Do fat people just prefer to vote Republican?

CathyMcCaughan's picture

ice cream and murder

Just guessing, I would grab the statistic that the higher education level attained, the more likely someone will vote Democrat. Then, I would look for research that shows those with more education are more likely to engage in healthy eating habits and exercise routines.

TN4th's picture

Why do Fat People Vote Republican

Their prosperity theology preachers told them that they would be fat cats if they were right with God, but they inverted the d, and thought they were supposed to be right with GOP.

gime_shltr's picture

It's all part of the plan...

The "Southern Strategy" is alive and well.


If I don't get some shelter
Oh yeah, I'm gonna fade away...


Bill Lyons's picture

Ecological Fallacy

I know this is not serious (or at least hope it is not) but inferring individual characteristics from aggregate data is a time honored tradition known as the ecological fallacy. I recall from 1968 that the states with the highest proportion of African Americans also had the highest proportion of votes for George Wallace. Needless to say that did not mean that African Americans supported George Wallace.

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