The new national report - "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2008" - ranks island residents the least obese, except for Colorado. The report released today in Washington said Hawaii's adult obesity rate is 20.7%, compared with Mississippi, which had the highest rate at 31.7%.

Colorado led the nation for skinny people with an obesity rate of 18.4%. However, Coloradans are getting fatter. The state had a statistically significant increase for two years in a row, while Hawaii's didn't. Mississippi was followed for fatness by West Virginia, 30.6%, and Alabama, 30.1%.

Adult obesity rates rose in 37 states in the past year, the report said. Rates rose for a second consecutive year in 24 states and for a third consecutive year in 19 states. Hawaii had a small increase but it was rated statistically insignificant. No state saw a decrease.

Rates of Type 2 diabetes, a disease typically associated with obesity, increased in 26 states last year, but did not grow in Hawaii. However, Hawaii ranks 24th highest in Type 2 diabetes, with 7.7 percent of the population affected, and it ranks 30th highest for hypertension, the report said.

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