Lafayette Ranked 6th Most Obese City in America

Acadiana region known for its love of food, but that may not always be a good thing.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:53pm

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According to a study by the personal finance website WalletHub, Lafayette, Louisiana is the sixth most obese city in the United States. The study compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across 19 key indicators of weight-related problems, finding that Lafayette ranked poorly for percentage of adults with low fruit and vegetable consumption, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Why it matters

Obesity is a growing public health issue in the U.S., contributing to a range of serious health problems and financial burdens. The high obesity rates in Lafayette and the surrounding Acadiana region highlight the need for increased access to healthy food options and recreation opportunities to help improve residents' diets and exercise habits.

The details

The WalletHub study found that Lafayette is the 6th most obese city in the country, with Little Rock, Arkansas ranking as the most obese. Other Louisiana cities in the top rankings include Shreveport at 8th, Baton Rouge at 10th, and New Orleans at 16th. The study compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across three key dimensions: Obesity & Overweight, Health Consequences, and Food & Fitness using 19 metrics. Lafayette ranked particularly poorly for percentage of adults with low fruit and vegetable consumption (2nd), 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 comparing obesity rates across 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas.

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

The takeaway

The high obesity rates in Lafayette and the surrounding Acadiana region highlight the need for increased access to healthy food options and recreation opportunities to help improve residents' diets and exercise habits and address this growing public health issue.