Since the year 2000 the Trust for America's Health has posted obesity rankings of the states. The southeastern states have perennially ranked as the most obese. While these lists are based on material data, a number of cultural and political issues surround the very concept of such a listing--issues deeply rooted in the South's history and its position in relation to the rest of the country. Dr. Taylor Hagood will consider these factors and the general situation of what might be thought of as the "Fat South".