Virginia 1, Ontario 2 (just barely): battle of the bulge
Virginia is apparently the 23rd-fattest state in the Union, with 24.5% of residents classified as "obese". In 2004, Ontario was ranked 3rd leanest province, with a rate of 22.7%.
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, and a body fat percentage of more than 30%.
Your BMI is measured by dividing your mass, in kilograms, by your height in metres squared. So, if you are a 5'6" tall woman weighing 150 lbs, your BMI is 68 kg divided by 2.72 (1.65 m × 1.65 m), or 25.
Your body fat percentage is just that: the proportion of your weight attributable to fat alone. A healthy percentage for women is between 12% and 25%. Less than 12%, and you will probably develop health problems such as infrequent, irregular menstrual cycles and loss of bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis. These things might not phase supermodels and celebutantes, but they're certainly not illnesses I'd want to develop voluntarily. On the flip side, body fat percentages of more than 25% can put you at increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure. The higher your body fat is over 25%, the more likely you are to develop these conditions, all of which can lead to premature death. Again, not something most of us willingly sign up for.
So, what should 24.5% of Virginians and 22.5% of Ontarians be doing? Surprisingly, not much. As little as 30 min of brisk walking each day (try covering 3 km in 30 min) while trying to follow Canada's Food Guide for a healthy diet will drastically reduce your risk of developing potentially life-threatening conditions. In fact, regardless of how active you are now, increasing that activity level by only 30 min a day will lead to improvements. Oh, and Virginians should probably lay off the high-fructose corn syrup, too.
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