Scanning down this ranking of states by rate of adult obesity one pattern stands out: the fattest states in America voted for McCain and the thinnest voted for Obama.

http://healthyamericans.org/states/states.php?measure=obesity&sort=data

Here are the top 10 fattest states:

continued...

1: MS
2: AL
3: WV
4: TN
5: SC
6: OK
7: KY
8: LA

After two blue states, MI and OH check in at 9 and 10, the red states return for the most part:

11: AR
12: NC (blue)
13: MO
14: TX
15: GA
16: IN (blue)
17: DE (blue)
18: AK
19: KS
20: NE
21: SD

As for the thinnest (and healthiest) states, the pattern is equally clear. Excepting UT, MT, and WY, the thin states comprise Obama country.

51: CO
50: MA
49: CT
48: RI
47: HI
46: VT
45: DC
44: UT (red)
43: MT (red)
42: NJ
41: CA
40: NH
39: FL
38: WY (red)
37: NY
36: NM
35: ME

Now, it's possible that the fattest voters in the red states are actually Democrats. In the Deep South that would mean primarily African Americans. But West Virginia, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Kentucky have relatively small black populations. And the District of Columbia is majority African American; yet, it is actually the 7th thinnest jurisdiction.

So race is probably not the explanation here.

Do fat people just prefer to vote Republican?