The prevalence of obesity in the United States has risen gradually over the past decade. As of 2023, around ** percent of the population aged 18 years and older was obese. Obesity is a growing problem in many parts of the world, but is particularly troubling in the United States. Obesity in the United States The states with the highest prevalence of obesity are West Virginia, Mississippi, and Arkansas. As of 2023, a shocking ** percent of the population in West Virginia were obese. The percentage of adults aged 65 years and older who are obese has grown in recent years, compounding health issues that develop with age. Health impacts of obesity Obesity is linked to several negative health impacts including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Unsurprisingly, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes has increased in the United States over the years. As of 2022, around *** percent of the population had been diagnosed with diabetes. Some of the most common types of cancers caused by obesity include breast cancer in postmenopausal women, colon and rectum cancer, and corpus and uterus cancer.

Between 2015 and 2018, obesity rates in U.S. children and adolescents stood at 19.3 and 20.9 percent, respectively. This is a noteworthy increase compared to the percentages seen between 1988 and 1994.

U.S. high school obesity rates

Roughly 18 percent of black, as well as Hispanic students in the United States, were obese between 2016 and 2017. Male obesity rates were noticeably higher than those of female students for each of the ethnicities during the measured period. For example, about 22 percent of male Hispanic high school students were obese, compared to 14 percent of female students. The American states with the highest number of obese high school students in 2019 included Mississippi, West Virginia, and Arkansas, respectively. Mississippi had a high school student obesity rate of over 23 percent that year.

Physically inactive Americans

Adults from Mississippi and Arkansas were also reported to be some of the least physically active people in the United States in 2018. When surveyed, over 30 percent of adults from Kentucky and Arkansas had not exercised within the preceding 30 days. The national physical inactivity average stood at approximately 26 percent that year.

Between 2017 and 2021, the highest incidence of obesity-associated cancer in the United States was among Black individuals, with a rate of 184.8 per 100,000 people. This graph shows the rate of obesity-related cancers per 100,000 people from 2017 to 2021 in the United States, by race and ethnicity.

In 2017-2020, almost ** percent of adults aged 20 years and older were considered obese. This is a significant increase from a rate of **** percent in the period 1999-2000. This statistic shows the percentage of children and adults in the U.S. who were obese in 1999-2000 and 2017-2020.

West Virginia, Mississippi, and Arkansas are the U.S. states with the highest percentage of their population who are obese. The states with the lowest percentage of their population who are obese include Colorado, Hawaii, and Massachusetts. Obesity in the United States Obesity is a growing problem in many countries around the world, but the United States has the highest rate of obesity among all OECD countries. The prevalence of obesity in the United States has risen steadily over the previous two decades, with no signs of declining. Obesity in the U.S. is more common among women than men, and overweight and obesity rates are higher among African Americans than any other race or ethnicity. Causes and health impacts Obesity is most commonly the result of a combination of poor diet, overeating, physical inactivity, and a genetic susceptibility. Obesity is associated with various negative health impacts, including an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer, and diabetes type 2. As of 2022, around 8.4 percent of the U.S. population had been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is currently the eighth leading cause of death in the United States.

In 2021-2022, Mississippi topped the ranking of states with the highest share of children/adolescents between 6 and 17 years of age who were obese. This statistic illustrates the obesity rates among children/adolescents between 6 and 17 years of age in the United States in 2021-2022, by state.

In Mississippi, over ***** out of ten adults were reported to be either overweight or obese in 2018, making it the leading U.S. state that year. Other prominent states, in terms of overweight and obesity, included Arkansas in ******, Oklahoma in *******, and Louisiana in ***** place.

Corpulence per state

When it comes to obesity, specifically, percentages were still very high for certain states. Almost forty percent of West Virginia’s population was obese in 2018. Colorado, Hawaii, and California were some of the healthier states that year, with obesity rates between ** and ** percent. The average for the country itself stood at just over ** percent.

Obesity-related health problems

Being obese can lead to various health-related complications, such as diabetes and diseases of the heart. In 2017, almost ** people per 100,000 died of diabetes mellitus in the United States. In the same year, roughly *** per 100,000 Americans died of heart disease. While the number of deaths caused by heart disease has decreased significantly over the past sixty to seventy years, it is still one of the leading causes of death in the country.

Surveys comparing obesity rates among adults in the United States in 2019 and 2023 revealed that both years presented similar trends. Adults aged 45–65 years old had the highest obesity rates in both years. Additionally, obesity rates increased across all age groups in 2023 compared to 2019. This statistic depicts the percentage of adults in the United States with obesity in 2019 and 2023, by age.

About a fifth of Hispanic high school students in the United States were overweight between 2016 and 2017, making it the ethnic group with the highest percentage of overweight high school students. Female obesity rates were considerably higher than those of male students for the black and Hispanic groups during the measured period.

Overweight and obese U.S. adults

U.S. overweight rates in adults differed slightly from those of U.S. high school students in 2017. That year, the African American population had the highest overweight and obesity rates of any race or ethnicity, closely followed by American Indians/Alaska Natives and Hispanics. Over 73 percent of all African American adults in the country were either overweight or obese. In 2018, the highest rates of obesity among African Americans could be found in states, such as Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee.

Overweight youth worldwide

Many children and adolescents in other countries, such as New Zealand, Greece, and Italy, also struggle with overweight and obesity. In New Zealand, for example, over forty percent of boys and girls, up to age 19, were overweight or obese in 2016. In the same year, less than ten percent of Indian children and teenagers were overweight.

In 2022, over 33 percent of both men and women in the United States reported themselves as obese (BMI over 30), making it the country with the highest percentage of obese adults on this list. Other selected countries on the list with a high prevalence of obesity among adults included the United Kingdom and Australia. Obesity groups in the United States In 2022, Black adults had the highest overweight and obesity rates of any race or ethnicity in the United States. Asians and Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders had the lowest rates by far, with roughly 14 percent. In 2021, about 30 percent of people aged 65 and older were obese in the United States. This estimate has been steadily increasing since 2013 when roughly 27 percent of elderly Americans were obese. Leading health problems worldwide Obesity was considered one of 2023’s biggest health problems: 25 percent of adults worldwide stated that obesity was the biggest health issue for people within their country. Around 44 percent of adults stated that mental health was the most significant problem facing their country that year.

This statistic shows the rate of obesity amongst individuals aged 25 years and over in the United States in 2008, as differentiated by their age group and also level of education. In 2008, 43 percent of high school graduates aged 55 to 64 were obese as compared to 30 percent of bachelor's degree holders.

This statistic displays the prevalence of obesity among adults in the United States in 2012 and a forecast for 2030. In 2030, it is predicted that 44 percent of the U.S. adult population will be obese. Obesity rates in the U.S. has more than doubled since the 1980s.

The prevalence of obesity in Latin America and the Caribbean is forecast to reach significant levels by 2035, with several countries attaining a prevalence of at least ** percent among adults. In the Dominican Republic and Haiti, over half of the population could be affected. Even in countries with lower rates, at least a third of adults are expected to struggle with the condition.
Obesity and its impact on health
Obesity is associated with a range of diseases and medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. In Brazil alone, an estimated ** million people have been diagnosed with diabetes, resulting in yearly health expenses surpassing ** billion U.S. dollars. If not treated, diabetes can result in additional health complications such as eye problems and cardiovascular conditions. Keeping a healthy diet Among other genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic causes, obesity is known to be strongly influenced by what people eat. In Latin America, the cost of a healthy diet has been constantly increasing in recent years, risking higher prevalence rates of the disease. Availability of unhealthy foods and a lack of time for preparing meals also discourage people from maintaining a healthy diet, resulting in the consumption of indulgent foods, snacks, and highly caloric beverages.

This statistic depicts the obesity rate among children between 2 and 4 years in the United States in 1998, 2003 and 2011 by ethnicity. In 2003, the obesity rate among white children amounted to **** percent.

Historical dataset showing U.S. obesity rate by year from N/A to N/A.

In 2022, adults aged 80 to 84 years had the highest incidence of obesity-associated cancer in the United States, with a rate of around 823 per 100,000 people. This graph shows the rate of obesity-related cancers per 100,000 people in the United States in 2022, by age.

Obesity rate for adults 20+ years old. Data from US Diabetes Surveillance System; www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data; Division of Diabetes Translation - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is defined with BMI >30.

This statistic depicts the overweight and obesity rates for adults and children in the United States in 2011-2012. In that year, 34.9 percent of all adults in the United States were obese. Overweight and obesity can increase risk of developing many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The statistic shows the percentage of inhabitants of Germany and the United States who were obese, from 1999 to 2009. In 2009, the percentage of obese people in Germany was at ** percent.

As of 2023, the age category with the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in Mexico was the group of adults between 40 and 59 years of age. That year, approximately ** percent of adult respondents were estimated to suffer from overweight or obesity. The same study found that over ** percent of adults over 60 years of age in the North American country had overweight or obesity. A body mass index (BMI) between ** and **** kg/m² is considered overweight.