Inactivity and diabetes, county by county
One of the tightest links in the health data: counties where adults don’t exercise have far more diabetes.
Counties with higher Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise tend to have higher Adults with Diabetes.
Very strong link: a correlation of 0.87 across 2,916 counties.CorrelationHow closely two metrics move together, from −1 to +1. Near +1: both rise together. Near −1: one rises as the other falls. Near 0: no clear link.More in the glossary →
Type 2 diabetes is closely tied to activity and weight. Across counties, the share of adults who get no leisure-time exercise lines up with diabetes rates remarkably closely.
Each dot in the chart is one of 2,916 counties. The correlation between Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise and Adults with Diabetes is 0.87, a very strong relationship: about 76% of the differences in Adults with Diabetes from place to place line up with Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise. Ranked instead of measured, the link is 0.86.
The highest Adults with Diabetes is in Oglala Lakota County, SD (23.8%), Todd County, SD (22.9%) and Dimmit County, TX (21.5%); the lowest is in Douglas County, CO (6%), Chittenden County, VT (6.2%) and Hinsdale County, CO (6.4%). The median place has 10.7% for Adults with Diabetes and 26.5% for Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise.
The biggest exceptions sit furthest from the trend line. Oglala Lakota County, SD, Todd County, SD and McKinley County, NM have a much higher Adults with Diabetes than their Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise would predict, while Dunklin County, MO, Scott County, MO and Kingfisher County, OK have a much lower one.
This is a comparison across places, not proof that one causes the other: both can follow from something else, such as income, age or how urban a place is. Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise is from 2023 and Adults with Diabetes from 2023.
Highest Adults with Diabetes
| Place | Adults with Diabetes | Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Oglala Lakota County, SD | 23.8% | 41.7% |
| Todd County, SD | 22.9% | 42.3% |
| Dimmit County, TX | 21.5% | 48.9% |
| Zavala County, TX | 21.4% | 48.2% |
| Bullock County, AL | 21.3% | 42.7% |
Lowest Adults with Diabetes
| Place | Adults with Diabetes | Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise |
|---|---|---|
| Douglas County, CO | 6% | 13.3% |
| Chittenden County, VT | 6.2% | 14.1% |
| Hinsdale County, CO | 6.4% | 12.9% |
| Pitkin County, CO | 6.5% | 12.6% |
| Addison County, VT | 6.5% | 17.0% |
Explore it yourself
- Open this comparison in the interactive chart to highlight places, change the metrics or colour by party.
- Full ranking and sources for Adults with No Leisure-Time Exercise
- Full ranking and sources for Adults with Diabetes