Yikes! Iowa is Obese: We’re Talking Top 10!

I'm like any other man who was raised on the farm. It's not so much the sweets that were ever my issue. No, that would be the fact that two steaks are indeed better than one. The same can be said of burgers, brats, and bacon. Yes, the three Bs might be your ticket to taste-bud heaven; it also might be a one-way ticket to an early death via cardiac arrest.

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Here's why. In Iowa, we're fat. And unfortunately for me, I'm pretty sure I am in this camp. I mean, I definitely was around 6 years ago, and that's with me coaching soccer and hiking a bunch with my family. Obviously, lots of the excess weight came off just by staying active, but I'm still considered overweight each year at my physical. For the rest of Iowa, that also seems to be the case.

Well, according to the CDC's study of Obesity and Severe Obesity Prevalence in Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023, nearly 38% of adults in Iowa are classified as obese. That puts us at number 7 according to the nationwide numbers from the CDC, compiled by Feel30. Remember, that's not the top 10 in corn production. Not top 10 in state fair butter sculptures. Top 10 in waistlines, and with struggling belts.

Nationally, the CDC reports that about 40% of U.S. adults are obese. So this isn’t just a “too many pork tenderloins at the county fair” situation. It’s a full-blown American-sized issue. But here in the Midwest, we’ve kind of perfected it. So much so that the term husky, isn't just for dogs. In fact, we may have been husky even before the dog was around.

And listen, nobody in Iowa got this way by accident. We were raised on “clean your plate” and “there’s more in the fridge.” Our idea of moderation (and mine) is switching from three helpings to two. If you’ve ever loosened your belt before pie on Thanksgiving, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Let's put it this way: if elastic waistbands had frequent flyer miles, half of us would never touch the ground.

Here's the tricky part in all of this. Like me, a lot of us are active. We coach. We farm. We mow. We shovel snow that weighs more than our first car (and then have the back to prove it). Unfortunately, you just can’t outrun two steaks and a side of cheesy potatoes forever. At some point, the math, like our age and weight, catches up.

And while we can laugh about loving the three Bs (I know I do), the CDC numbers aren’t exactly a punchline. Obesity is tied to heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure… all the stuff that makes your doctor frown and use words like “concerning" or worse, "disappointed."

So yeah, we’re Top 10. And not in a category you frame and hang on the wall. Maybe it’s time we aim to be number one in something else. Like adding a vegetable that isn’t deep-fried to the plate. Or deciding that one steak, just one, is probably enough. Dang! That's gonna be hard. Now, excuse me while I stare suspiciously at my third brat and pretend this article wasn’t about me.