The new State of Obesity report shows that West Virginia has the highest adult obesity rate at 37.7 percent.

The report noted that 25 states had rates above 30 percent, compared to just a dozen states in 2010. In 2000, no state had a rate above 25 percent.

The rate of obesity among USA adults, although still high, appears to be leveling off, according to "State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America", a report issued August 31 by the Trust for America's Health (T.F.A.H.) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (R.W.J.F.).

West Virginia, at 37.7%, surpassed MS (37.3%), Alabama (35.7%), Arkansas (35.7%) and Louisiana (35.5%) to claim the top spot among worst rated states for adult obesity. The state saw a significant increase in obesity from 2015 to 2016, according to The State of Obesity 2017 report. Each of these four states remained above 30 percent, significantly higher than the 22.3 percent for Colorado - the lowest incidence of obesity in the nation.

The report also shows that SC had the 12th highest adult obesity rate in the country at 32.3 percent in 2016 - a slight increase from 2015 when 31.7 adults in the Palmetto State were considered obese and the state ranked 13th in the U.S.

The report recommends focusing on early childhood prevention efforts, including promoting exercise, expanding investments in community-based programs, increasing health-care coverage for obesity prevention and treatment, and improving school-based efforts to provide healthy meals and physical activities.

"We conclude the report with a fair amount of optimism", Auerbach said on a conference call. Body Mass Index, or BMI, is based on height and weight.

Overall, nine of the 11 states with the highest obesity rates were in the South and 23 of the 25 states with the highest rates of obesity were in the South and Midwest.

John Auerbach, president and chief executive officer of nonpartisan Trust for America's Health, said policy advances in the fight against obesity were fragile.

This was the 14th study from the foundation that is geared toward public health. Obesity rates nationally were around 30 percent among adults without a college education. "That progress could be easily undermined if leaders and policymakers at all levels don't continue to prioritize efforts that help all Americans lead healthier lives".