OKLAHOMA CITY SHOWS UP AS ONE OF THE TOP OBESITY CAPITALS IN THE USA

In a report released this week, Oklahoma City is ranked the 12th fattest city among 100 of the most populous U.S. cities.

Being overweight or obese affects more than 42% of American adults ages 20 and older, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
This translates to over 100 million adults, with many experiencing additional serious chronic conditions, including hypertension (58%) which increases heart disease risk, and diabetes (23%).

According to the National League of Cities, obesity-related medical treatments cost approximately $190.2 billion annually, while productivity losses from work absences amount to roughly $4.3 billion per year. A report published this week ranks Oklahoma City as the 12th most overweight city among the nation’s 100 most populous urban areas. It shares fifth place with Dayton, Ohio for having the highest percentage of obese adults.

The 2025 assessment of most overweight cities, conducted by WalletHub, evaluated 19 key metrics related to weight problems, ranging from physically inactive adults to healthy food consumption patterns. According to this analysis, McAllen, Texas tops the list as America’s most overweight city, with the highest percentage of obese adults (45%), the second-highest proportion of obese teenagers, and the fifth-highest rate of childhood obesity.

Oklahoma has battled excess weight issues for many years. Across the state, 36.4% of adults are categorized as obese, representing about 1 million residents. This ranks as the third-highest adult obesity rate nationwide, according to CDC data. In 2007, Fortune magazine designated Oklahoma City as the “fast-food capital of America” based on its analysis of U.S. cities with the highest percentage of frequent fast-food consumers.

In response, Mayor Mick Cornett initiated a citywide weight loss campaign on New Year’s Eve 2007. During a news conference at the Oklahoma City Zoo’s elephant exhibit, he issued a challenge for residents to collectively lose 1 million pounds and launched an interactive website called “This City is Going on a Diet.” The initiative garnered significant national attention. By January 2012, more than 51,000 people had registered for the program, and Oklahoma City achieved its goal of losing one million pounds, including 38 pounds shed by the mayor himself.

Mayor Cornett explained to Politico Magazine in 2015: “I’m focusing on creating a city that attracts highly motivated young adults because we understand how to prioritize activities like biking, hiking and health. I want us to be perceived as a community committed to improving health.” He emphasized that developing infrastructure that encourages health and physical activity was essential to sustaining his campaign’s momentum.

Residents approved a temporary one-cent sales tax in 2009 to finance MAPS 3 and again in 2019 for MAPS 4. These programs have developed and continue to enhance parks, river sports facilities, sidewalks, bike lanes, senior wellness centers, and youth centers. In the interim, an extension of the penny sales tax was approved to fund portions of the Better Streets, Safer City initiative, which included trails, sidewalks, and cycling infrastructure.

Nevertheless, as of last July, Oklahoma City remained at the bottom of the fitness rankings among America’s 100 largest cities in the 17th annual assessment published by the American College of Sports Medicine.

In response, Mayor David Holt noted that while the city has invested significantly in infrastructure like trails, sidewalks, and senior wellness centers to create exercise opportunities, officials cannot force residents to use these facilities.
“Fundamentally, our community is designed around automotive transportation,” Holt stated. “People will drive around a Walmart parking lot for 5 minutes to park 100 feet closer. We’re extremely dependent on our vehicles.”

The city extends across 620 square miles, making it one of the five largest U.S. cities by geographic area, he added.

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