Researchers recently identified the U.S. Southeast, already called the “Stroke Belt” as the region with the highest diabetes rate. While most states showed a diabetes rate of about 8.5 percent, close to 12 percent of people in parts of 15 states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas ,Virginia, West Virginia and the entire state of Mississippi had the disease.

Though I will admit to laughing at the headline of this Reuter headline, “Researchers find U.S. diabetes belt” (it makes it sound like they discovered a mythical land full of blind people with missing feet*), this report highlights a very serious problem that needs to be addressed. Not surprisingly, CDC health surveys revealed that people living in this area were more likely than those living in other parts of the country to be obese and lead a sedentary lifestyle.

Maybe I should move down South after I get my RD—looks like they could use more dietitians.

*disclaimer: I am exhausted and laying down for a nap soon, so my brain function and sensitivity levels are somewhat compromised at the moment.