Word: mississippi
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People from Mississippi are fat. With an adult obesity rate of 33%, Mississippi has gobbled its way to the "chubbiest state" crown for the fifth year in a row, according to a new joint report by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Alabama, West Virginia and Tennessee aren't far behind, with obesity rates over 30%. In fact, eight of the 10 fattest states are in the South. The region famous for its biscuits, barbecue and pecan pies has been struggling with its weight for years - but then again, so has the rest...
...thing, it's poor. Mississippi is not only the fattest state in the nation, but also the poorest, with 21% of its residents living below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Alabama and West Virginia, the second and third fattest states, are tied for fifth poorest. With a poverty rate of 14%, the South is easily the most impoverished region in the country. "When you're poor, you tend to eat more calorie-dense foods because they're cheaper than fruits and vegetables," explains Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America. Poor neighborhoods also have fewer...
...stops. Public transportation is paltry, and for most people, the best way to get around is by car. "You don't really think of riding the train as exercise, but at least you have to walk a few blocks to get to the stop," says Bassett. States like Mississippi and Tennessee also have a surprising lack of sidewalks, discouraging even the most eager pedestrians. Many roads are narrower than those in the North - where streets have wider shoulders to accommodate winter snow - and people who want to bike or jog find themselves uncomfortably close to traffic. (See pictures...
...wary of the idea. A way around that problem, says Massachusetts Institute of Technology economics professor Jonathan Gruber, would be to have the taxes kick in at different levels in different states. "Otherwise," he says, "you would be putting too much pressure on New York and not enough on Mississippi...
Boris is the king of pessimists, but into each reign some life must fall. It comes in the pretty package of Melody St. Ann Celestine (Evan Rachel Wood), who might be as old as 20 and who's run away from her Mississippi family to end up homeless in Manhattan. She talks her way into a stay in Boris' place, and in a trice, she has kind of a crush on him. They get married...