A new CDC survey breaks down obesity rates by county for the first time, and the new research shows South Carolina's rates are among the highest in the nation.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, South Carolina's obesity rate was 30% in 2007 compared to the national rate of 26%. Horry County was closer to the nation's average at 27%.

Orangeburg County had the highest rate in the state at 39%, while Beaufort had the lowest at 21%. The survey shows higher obesity rates in the Southern and Appalachian regions of the U.S.

CDC experts say the high rates are due to a culture that embraces fatty unhealthy foods and shuns exercise.

Click here to see how your county ranked.

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