Mississippi and West Virginia are the fattest states in the U.S. - but everyone is more overweight than they imagine

• Only Hawaii had an obesity rate under 30 percent
• A few states, including Louisiana and Mississippi, had obesity rates over 40 percent
• In previous years reports found that most states had rates under 30 percent with no state over 40 percent
• Mississippi and West Virginia are the fattest states in the nation
• Colorado and Hawaii are the leanest

By James Gordon

Published: 23:42 EST, 20 November 2014 | Updated: 23:42 EST, 20 November 2014

When it comes to the waistline, those from Mississippi and West Virginia appear to be forever expanding.

For the ninth year in the row the states have been declared to be the fattest in the nation.

West Virginia took home the silver for second fattest state, but the Mountain State is home to fattest city in the country - Huntington.

Louisiana came in third for fattest population in the union, meanwhile, Colorado with its mountains and fresh air maintains its title as the leanest in the country.

Fat nation: The study found 49 states had an obesity rate of 30 percent or higher. Only Hawaii had an obesity rate under 30 percent, and a few states, including Louisiana and Mississippi, had obesity rates over 40 percent

Simply put: The coastal states appear to be slimmer than those in the south and the Rust Belt area of the country which tend to be the fattest.

Hawaii overtook the District of Columbia as second slimmest state. D.C. had held the title of second thinnest state in the nation since 2011.

According to new data the largest state in America appears to be living up to its vast size: Alaskans have gotten fatter.

Californians, on the other hand, have slimmed down.

Overall, the coastal states appear to be slimmer than those in the south and the Rust Belt area of the country.rank lowest in the fattest stakes, while states in the South and the Rust Belt tend to be the fattest.

Getting worse? Previous reports have found that most states have rates under 30 percent, and no states have a rate over 40 percent

Part of the reason the states appear to be increasing in girth is because of the way the data was collected.

The new findings are based on doctors' measurements of people's height and weight, whereas many previous reports were based on people's reports of their own measurements.

In making those previous estimates of state obesity rates, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relied on telephone surveys that asked people their weights and heights; researchers then used this information to calculate people's body mass indexes (BMIs)

Around the world, more than 2.1 billion people across the world - around 30 per cent of the global population - are overweight or obese, and the epidemic shows no signs of decline.

Experts predict if the current prevalence of obesity continues on its current trajectory, 'almost half the world's adult population will be overweight or obese by 2030'.

How fat is your state? Mississippi and West Virginia have the highest BMI's (Body Mass Index) of any states in the nation with Colorado and Hawaii appearing to be the leanest

Economic toll: Obesity places as great a burden on the global economy as war and terrorism, costing $2 trillion each year, a new study by experts at the McKinsey Global Institue has found

Getting bigger: Researchers estimated if current obesity rates continue, almost half the world's adult population will be overweight or obese by 2030

A separate study produced earlier this week found that obesity has the same impact on the global economy as armed conflict and terrorism, and just 'a shade less than smoking'.

In the U.S. armed conflict, especially spending on the military, has the highest impact, with obesity second.

Obesity cost the U.S. economy $663 billion-a-year in 2012.