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故事地圖

Obesity is a significant public health problem in the United States, posing burden on both disease morbidity and medical expenditure. In some of the states, disfavoured tax for soft drinks and selected snacks is imposed to discourage consumption of these high-calorie products. This map shows the prevalence of obesity in adults by state and the distribution of states levying disfavoured soda tax in 2011.

As depicted by graduated colours, states in eastern or central southern part of the United States had a higher proportion of obese adults. Highest prevalence of obese adults was observed in Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia. As indicated by drink symbol, soda tax was levied in Washington DC and other 22 states, which were mainly located in north-eastern United States. Both patterns show spatial autocorrelation but do not follow the same distribution.

Data for the map were obtained from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Tax Foundation.

肥胖是美國一個嚴重的公共衛生問題，能引發許多慢性疾病，並為醫療開支帶來沉重負擔。為令民眾減少飲用汽水及進食零食，美國部分州份已對這些高熱量的食品和飲料徵收額外的銷售稅。地圖顯示2011年美國各州成人肥胖的流行情況及已對汽水徵收額外稅項的州份分佈。

依圖中顏色所示，美國東部或中南部的州份中，肥胖成人的比例較其他地區的州份為高，當中以路易斯安納州、密西西比州及西維珍尼亞州的情況最為嚴重。另外，依飲品符號所示，首都華盛頓及其他22個州份已對汽水徵稅，而這些已對汽水徵稅的州份多位於美國的東北部。地圖顯示出高比例肥胖人口及徵收汽水稅的州份均有聚集傾向，但分佈卻各有不同。

地圖資料源自美國疾病控制及預防中心及稅務基金會。