states with the most fast food restaurantsIn this fast food nation New England is king and living large. A new list ranks the top 10 states with the most fast food restaurants and six of them are in the historic northeast corridor. And four of them cracked the top five! Clearly, residents there don’t have to drive very far to satisfy a Big Mac attack.

There are more fast food restaurants per capita in New Hampshire than any other state, according to research compiled by Careers in Public Health. The Granite State is home to more than 37 quick eat joints for every 100,000 residents.

Here is where it gets interesting. Despite the bevvy of unhealthy options, New Hampshire also has one of the lowest obesity rates in the country. Just slightly more than 27 percent of residents there are considered obese, making the state 37th in terms of prevalence of the disease. Maybe folks in New Hampshire aren’t as crazy about greasy grab and go options as you’d expect.

Similar arguments can be made for the other New England states with the most fast food restaurants.

The tiny state of Rhode Island also has a “whopper” of an appetite… on paper anyway. The state has second-most fast food restaurants in the country with 37 per 100,000 residents. However, it ranks 39th in obesity prevalence. Connecticut has the third-most fast food options, but ranks 43rd for obesity. Massachusetts ranks fifth for fast food and only 49th for obesity.

Interesting, right?

The same irony cannot be said of Arkansas is the only non-New England state to crack the top five. The home of the Razorbacks is fourth on the fast food list with more than 34 greasy drive-thru options per 100,000 residents. It also has the highest rate of obesity in the country. Nearly 36 percent of residents are currently obese and the rate is expected to continue rising for the foreseeable future.

More than a third of all adults in the United States are now considered obese. However, the U.S. is not among the 10 most obese countries in the world.

10 States With The Most Fast Food Restaurants

10 States With Most Fast Food Restaurants