Residents in Texas Metro Area Most Obese in America According to Gallup Poll

According to a new Gallup poll, a predominantly Latino border community is the most obese in the U.S. Approximately 38.5 percent of the residents in the Texas metro area known as McAllen-Edinburg-Mission are obese.

The results of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index mark the third year in a row the region has made the top ten.

Over 88 percent of the population in Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande Valley is Hispanic. The average median household income in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission area is also one of the nation's lowest, according to the poll.

As Gallup and several studies point out, there is a strong correlation between obesity and poverty.

According to the Food Research and Action Center, there is a common myth that low-income families are more likely to be underweight. The website points out that it's important to take into account two other factors that many may not consider, such as (1) the relationship between income and weight can vary by gender, race-ethnicity, or age and (2) disparities by income seem to be weakening with time. It is also noted, according to the organization, that women and children are more at risk for obesity in poor communities than men.

Nationwide the obesity epidemic in the U.S. has remained stagnant - from 2011 to 2012, the national obesity rate held steady at 26 percent.

According to Gallup, obesity surpasses smoking and alcohol as a top health concern for Americans, with nearly four in 10 U.S. adults saying obesity is an extremely serious problem.