El Paso is one of the most overweight and obese cities in the country in 2026, according to a recent report.
The Sun City ranked No. 24 in WalletHub’s Most Overweight and Obese Cities in the U.S. for 2026 — one of three Texas cities that made the list.
Other cities were McAllen (No. 2) and San Antonio (No. 25).
In order to determine the most overweight cities in America, the publication compared 100 of the most populated U.S. metro areas across three key dimensions, including obesity (the number of overweight adults and children), health consequences (adults with high cholesterol and heart disease) and food and fitness (access to healthy food, parks, recreation).
El Paso ranked at the top for the number of overweight residents, according to the study. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
Lower Valley, Far East, Northwest El Paso most overweight
Roughly 25% of El Pasoans are obese, according to a 2024 report by the National Library of Medicine.
The National Library of Medicine published a study on El Paso’s overweight population in 2022 and found that geographic areas with higher poverty and immigrant concentration had higher obesity prevalence, particularly in the Lower Valley, Far East Side and Northwest El Paso County.
“On the other hand, the West Side of El Paso County had the pocket with the lowest prevalence, this area is also the most affluent of the County,” the study stated.
Latinos ‘disproportionately’ impacted by obesity
Nearly 1 in 3 adults (30.7%) are overweight, according to the National Institute of Diabetes, though Latinos are disproportionately impacted by obesity for many reasons.
“Many factors, including genetic predisposition, environmental factors, traditional calorie‐dense Latinx diets, family dynamics, and differences in socioeconomic status, contribute to the increased prevalence and complexity of treating obesity in the Latinx population,” the National Library of Medicine states.
Tips for weight loss include dietary changes, exercise
All weight-loss programs require that you change your eating habits and get more active, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Reducing calories and practicing healthier eating habits are key to overcoming obesity. A healthcare professional can help decide how many calories you need to take in each day to lose weight. A typical amount is 1,200 to 1,500 calories for women and 1,500 to 1,800 for men, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Here are some other tips courtesy of the Mayo Clinic to help with weight management:
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Report: El Paso is among most overweight cities in America in 2026
Reporting by Natassia Paloma, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Natassia Paloma, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
