An AP analysis of CDC data has found that Huntington, W.Va., to be the fattest city in the United States: “Nearly half the adults in Huntington’s five-county metropolitan area are obese — an astounding percentage, far bigger than the national average in a country with a well-known weight problem.”
Health officials cite culture and history as two problems contributing to the area’s obesity.
“Covering Obesity: A Guide for Reporters” offers additional background for reporting on societal factors and their influence on obesity rates. From the guide (page 29):
Through generations of living with food scarcity in harsh environments, the Pimas developed a genetic trait that allowed their bodies to efficiently store extra calories for periods of famine, the researchers believe. This genetic adaptation is known as the ‘thrifty gene theory.’
A virtue amid scarcity, the theory goes, the thrifty gene can become a liability when food is abundant. Calories are still stored as though a shortage is looming, and the pounds accumulate.
