Maine Ranks Eighth for Overweight and Obesity

Maine places third-highest for obesity-related deaths and seventh-highest for childhood obesity in a 31-measure comparison of all states.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Weight Loss

Bold vector editorial illustration of a weathered granite boulder on a coastal rock shelf beside a leaning stack of river stones, in slate blue, cream, and sage. — WalletHub ranked Maine eighth nationally for overweight and obesity, third for obesity-related deaths and seventh for childhood obesity across 31 measures. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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WalletHub ranked Maine eighth among U.S. states with the highest levels of overweight and obesity, based on a comparison of all 50 states and the District of Columbia across 31 measures. The report also placed Maine third-highest for obesity-related death rate and seventh-highest for childhood obesity, relevant to adults and families across the state.

Why it matters

The ranking puts Maine among the states where excess weight and its health consequences are most prominent, which matters for prevention, screening and access to weight-management care. Because the top-10 finish was driven in part by high rankings for obesity-related deaths and childhood obesity, the report points to health outcomes, not only body weight, as the concern.

This is a state-level comparative ranking by WalletHub covering all 50 states and the District of Columbia, scored across 31 measures on a 100-point scale. The report does not include study-level sample sizes or effect estimates, and its figures reflect relative standing rather than absolute rates.

The players

WalletHub

WalletHub is a personal finance website that publishes comparative state and city rankings across a range of consumer and health-related topics.

The details

WalletHub grouped its 31 measures into three categories: rates of overweight and obesity, related health consequences, and food and fitness. Each measure was scored on a 100-point scale, and each state's weighted average across these scores determined its rank. Maine's placement reflects both how common excess weight is and how often it is linked to serious outcomes such as death, which is why its strong showing in obesity-related deaths and childhood obesity pushed it into the top 10.

The WalletHub overweight and obesity ranking was published on November 3, 2026.

Health Landscape

WalletHub's 31-measure, three-category ranking frames obesity as a combination of body-weight prevalence, downstream health harm and food and fitness environment. Placing obesity-related death and childhood obesity alongside prevalence measures reflects a broader view of population health than weight counts alone.

If you live in Maine, this ranking is a reason to ask your primary care clinician about weight, blood pressure and related screenings at your next checkup. Parents may also find it worth discussing children's weight trajectories with their pediatrician, since childhood obesity is one of the measures where Maine ranked seventh-highest.

The takeaway

Maine's ranking shows that obesity is tracked not just by how many people carry excess weight but by how often it leads to serious outcomes. Ask your clinician how your weight, blood pressure and family history fit into your own prevention plan.