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A study published by WalletHub revealed that on the list of Cities with the highest rates of overweight and obesity in the United States in 2026, three Texas cities appear: one in second place. The top spot went to Little Rock, Arkansas.
The study compared 100 of the most populous metropolitan areas in the United States across three major dimensions:
- Obesity (number of overweight adults and children)
- Health consequences (adults with high cholesterol and heart disease)
- Diet and physical activity (access to healthy food, parks, and recreation)
These Texas cities are among the worst in the United States: Which ones are they?
Although the city that tops the list is Little Rock, in the state of Arkansas, with the second-highest rate of childhood obesity among young people ages 10 to 17. Nearly 23% of children and teenagers fall into this group. In addition, 18% of young people are overweight without being obese.
Little Rock has the fourth-highest rate of hypertension in adults and the fifth-highest rate of heart disease. According to WalletHub, this is because there is limited access to healthy food, few specialized educators, high levels of related chronic diseases, and trends that could worsen in the future.
McAllen
The highest-ranked Texas city was McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, which placed second nationally. The report revealed that approximately 45% of adults are obese, the highest figure among all the metropolitan areas analyzed. In addition, another 31% of adults are overweight, meaning that nearly three-quarters of the adult population is above a healthy weight.
McAllen also records one of the highest rates of teenage obesity in the country and high rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and sedentary behavior.
According to WalletHub, these results are linked to low levels of physical activity, limited access to healthy food options, and a high prevalence of weight-related chronic diseases. For seven consecutive years, it was considered the city with the biggest obesity problem in the United States, although in 2026 it was surpassed by Little Rock.
El Paso
The second Texas city highlighted was El Paso, which ranked 24th in the national ranking. Although its indicators are considerably better than McAllen’s, it still appears among the metropolitan areas with the greatest overweight and obesity problems in the country.
The study detected a high proportion of residents with excess weight and a significant burden of related diseases, especially diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions. Specialists point out that factors such as diet, insufficient physical activity, and socioeconomic conditions contribute to the city maintaining an unfavorable position in the national ranking.
What do the experts say?
The specialists consulted by WalletHub agree that obesity does not depend solely on individual choices. Factors such as access to healthy food, the availability of spaces for exercise, and the socioeconomic conditions of each community also play a role.