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Study: Some States Are Fatter Than We Thought

NEW ORLEANS (CBS) – Obesity is a big problem, but it turns out rates might be even higher than previously thought.

According to CBS News, new research looked at doctors' measurements of height and weight rather than asking people to self-report, which had been done in the past.

Forty-nine states were found to have an obesity rate of 30 percent or higher, and some states, like Louisiana and Mississippi, surpassed the 40 percent mark.

Apparently, that's because people tend to think they're taller than they actually are. In the former studies, people were surveyed over the phone by the CDC.

This study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which uses doctors' measurements of their patients, resulting in an overall obesity rate of 34 percent in the United States.

The study was reportedly presented at the American Public Health Association meeting.

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