Lafayette Ranked 6th Most Obese City in America

Acadiana's love of food may be contributing to health issues, according to new study.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 1:53pm

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A new study by the personal finance website WalletHub has ranked Lafayette, Louisiana as the sixth most obese city in the United States. The study compared 100 of the most populated metro areas across various health and fitness metrics, finding that Lafayette residents struggle with high rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, and low fruit and vegetable consumption.

Why it matters

Obesity and related health issues like diabetes and high blood pressure can have significant impacts on individuals, communities, and the healthcare system. This ranking highlights the need for Lafayette to invest in improving access to healthy food options and recreation opportunities to help address these concerning trends.

The details

The WalletHub study compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 19 key indicators of weight-related problems, including obesity and overweight rates, health consequences, and access to healthy food and fitness activities. Lafayette ranked particularly poorly in the percentage of adults with low fruit and vegetable consumption (2nd worst), percentage of adults with diabetes (4th), and percentage of adults with high blood pressure (9th).

  • The WalletHub study was published on March 16, 2026.

The players

WalletHub

A personal finance website that conducted the study ranking the most obese cities in America.

Chip Lupo

A WalletHub analyst who commented on the study's findings.

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What they’re saying

“Obesity is becoming more and more prevalent in the U.S., and it's costing us big time. In the most overweight and obese cities, residents often lack easy access to healthy food and recreation opportunities, so investing in those areas should help improve people's diets and exercise regimens, and reduce the financial burden overall.”

— Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst

What’s next

The study's findings are likely to spur discussions among Lafayette officials and community leaders about ways to improve access to healthy food options and recreation opportunities to help address the city's high obesity rates.

The takeaway

This ranking highlights the significant health challenges facing Lafayette, underscoring the need for the city to take proactive steps to promote healthier lifestyles and combat the growing obesity epidemic in the region.