Blacks most obese in the nation

Black Americans are leading the pack with an obesity rate of 36%, much more than other major racial or ethnic groups.

About 29 percent of Hispanics and 24 percent of whites are obese and overall, about 25 percent of adults in the U.S. are obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts believe there are several reasons for the differences. People with lower incomes often have less access to medical care, exercise facilities and more expensive, healthier food. In many places, minorities are disproportionately poor."Poverty is a very strong driver of obesity," said Kelly Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

Researchers cited a 2008 study that found black and Hispanic women had significantly lower odds of being dissatisfied with their body size than white women. Black and Hispanics are more accepting of high weight and heavy people who are satisfied with their size are not likely to diet or exercise.