This statistic depicts the average body mass index (BMI) of U.S. adults aged 20 years and over as of 2016, by gender. According to the data, the average male BMI has increased from 27.8 in 1999-2000 to 29.1 as of 2015-2016.

Surveys in which U.S. adults report their current weight have shown that the share of those reporting they weigh 200 pounds or more has increased over the past few decades. In 2024, around 28 percent of respondents reported their weight as 200 pounds or more, compared to 15 percent in 1990. However, the same surveys show the share of respondents who report they are overweight has decreased compared to figures from 1990. What percentage of the U.S. population is obese? Obesity is an increasing problem in the United States that is expected to become worse in the coming decades. As of 2023, around one third of adults in the United States were considered obese. Obesity is slightly more prevalent among women in the United States, and rates of obesity differ greatly by region and state. For example, in West Virginia, around 41 percent of adults are obese, compared to 25 percent in Colorado. However, although Colorado is the state with the lowest prevalence of obesity among adults, a quarter of the adult population being obese is still shockingly high. The health impacts of being obese Obesity increases the risk of developing a number of health conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. It is no coincidence that the states with the highest rates of hypertension are also among the states with the highest prevalence of obesity. West Virginia currently has the third highest rate of hypertension in the U.S. with 45 percent of adults with the condition. It is also no coincidence that as rates of obesity in the United States have increased so have rates of diabetes. As of 2022, around 8.4 percent of adults in the United States had been diagnosed with diabetes, compared to six percent in the year 2000. Obesity can be prevented through a healthy diet and regular exercise, which also increases overall health and longevity.

This statistic depicts the average body mass index (BMI) of U.S. females aged 20 years and over from 1999 to 2016, by age. According to the data, the average female BMI for those aged ***** years was ** in ********* and increased to **** as of *********.

United States Prevalence of Overweight: % of Adults data was reported at 67.900 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 67.400 % for 2015. United States Prevalence of Overweight: % of Adults data is updated yearly, averaging 55.200 % from Dec 1975 (Median) to 2016, with 42 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 67.900 % in 2016 and a record low of 41.000 % in 1975. United States Prevalence of Overweight: % of Adults data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. Prevalence of overweight adults is the percentage of adults ages 18 and over whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is more than 25 kg/m2. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height, or the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.;World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).;;

In 2024, around 40 percent of U.S. men reported weighing 200 pounds or more. This statistic shows the average self-reported weight among U.S. men from 1990 to 2024.

United States US: Prevalence of Overweight: Weight for Height: Female: % of Children Under 5 data was reported at 6.900 % in 2012. This records an increase from the previous number of 6.400 % for 2009. United States US: Prevalence of Overweight: Weight for Height: Female: % of Children Under 5 data is updated yearly, averaging 6.900 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2012, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.700 % in 2005 and a record low of 5.100 % in 1991. United States US: Prevalence of Overweight: Weight for Height: Female: % of Children Under 5 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Prevalence of overweight, female, is the percentage of girls under age 5 whose weight for height is more than two standard deviations above the median for the international reference population of the corresponding age as established by the WHO's new child growth standards released in 2006.; ; World Health Organization, Global Database on Child Growth and Malnutrition. Country-level data are unadjusted data from national surveys, and thus may not be comparable across countries.; Linear mixed-effect model estimates; Estimates of overweight children are also from national survey data. Once considered only a high-income economy problem, overweight children have become a growing concern in developing countries. Research shows an association between childhood obesity and a high prevalence of diabetes, respiratory disease, high blood pressure, and psychosocial and orthopedic disorders (de Onis and Blössner 2003). Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death, and disability in adulthood. In addition to increased future risks, obese children experience breathing difficulties and increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early markers of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and psychological effects. Children in low- and middle-income countries are more vulnerable to inadequate nutrition before birth and in infancy and early childhood. Many of these children are exposed to high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, calorie-dense, micronutrient-poor foods, which tend be lower in cost than more nutritious foods. These dietary patterns, in conjunction with low levels of physical activity, result in sharp increases in childhood obesity, while under-nutrition continues

Data from a clustered randomized controlled trial of 12 Head Start Centers in San Antonio, Texas: !Míranos! Look at Us, We Are Healthy! (¡Míranos!)The prevalence of obesity remains high in American children aged 2-5 while one in three Head Start children is overweight or obese. The !Míranos! study was designed to test the efficacy of !Míranos!, an early childhood obesity prevention program, which promoted healthy growth in predominantly Latino children in Head Start. The Míranos! included center-based (policy changes, staff development, gross motor program, and nutrition education) and home-based (parent engagement/ education and home visits) interventions to address key enablers and barriers in obesity prevention in young children. In partnership with Head Start, the study team demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of the proposed interventions to influence energy-balance-related behaviors favorably in Head Start children. Using a three-arm cluster randomized design, 21 Head Start centers in equal numbers wiere randomly assigned to one of three conditions: 1) a combined center- and home-based intervention, 2) center-based intervention only, or 3) control. The interventions were delivered during the academic year (an 8-month period). A total of 526 3-year-old children were enrolled in the study and followed prospectively one year post-intervention. Outcome data collection was conducted at baseline, immediate post-intervention, and 1-year follow-up and included height, weight, physical activity (PA), and sedentary behaviors by accelerometry, parent reports of sleep duration and TV watching time, gross motor development, dietary intakes, and food and activity preferences. Information on family background, parental weight, PA- and nutrition-related practices and behaviors, PA and nutrition policy and environment at center and home, intervention program costs, and treatment fidelity will also be collected. The study had three specific aims: 1) to test the efficacy of the !Míranos! intervention on healthy weight growth (primary outcome) in normal weight, overweight and obese children, 2) to test the impact of the !Míranos! intervention on children’s PA, sedentary behavior, sleep, and dietary behaviors (secondary outcomes), and 3) to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the !Míranos! intervention. By targeting different levels of influence and in multiple settings, the !Míranos! showed great promise of developing long-term health habits that reduce the energy imbalance gap by targeting multiple energy-balance-related behaviors. The !Míranos! can be disseminated to various organized childcare settings since it is built on the Head Start program and its infrastructure—a gold standard in early childhood education, as well as current PA and nutrition recommendations for preschool children.

BackgroundFew studies have examined weight transitions in contemporary multi-ethnic populations spanning early childhood through adulthood despite the ability of such research to inform obesity prevention, control, and disparities reduction.Methods and ResultsWe characterized the ages at which African American, Caucasian, and Mexican American populations transitioned to overweight and obesity using contemporary and nationally representative cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data (n = 21,220; aged 2–80 years). Age-, sex-, and race/ethnic-specific one-year net transition probabilities between body mass index-classified normal weight, overweight, and obesity were estimated using calibrated and validated Markov-type models that accommodated complex sampling. At age two, the obesity prevalence ranged from 7.3% in Caucasian males to 16.1% in Mexican American males. For all populations, estimated one-year overweight to obesity net transition probabilities peaked at age two and were highest for Mexican American males and African American females, for whom a net 12.3% (95% CI: 7.6%-17.0%) and 11.9% (95% CI: 8.5%-15.3%) of the overweight populations transitioned to obesity by age three, respectively. However, extrapolation to the 2010 U.S. population demonstrated that Mexican American males were the only population for whom net increases in obesity peaked during early childhood; age-specific net increases in obesity were approximately constant through the second decade of life for African Americans and Mexican American females and peaked at age 20 for Caucasians.ConclusionsAfrican American and Mexican American populations shoulder elevated rates of many obesity-associated chronic diseases and disparities in early transitions to obesity could further increase these inequalities if left unaddressed.

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.

These data are from the 2013 California Dietary Practices Surveys (CDPS), 2012 California Teen Eating, Exercise and Nutrition Survey (CalTEENS), and 2013 California Children’s Healthy Eating and Exercise Practices Surveys (CalCHEEPS). These surveys have been discontinued. Adults, adolescents, and children (with parental assistance) were asked for their current height and weight, from which, body mass index (BMI) was calculated. For adults, a BMI of 30.0 and above is considered obese. For adolescents and children, obesity is defined as having a BMI at or above the 95th percentile, according to CDC growth charts.

The California Dietary Practices Surveys (CDPS), the California Teen Eating, Exercise and Nutrition Survey (CalTEENS), and the California Children’s Healthy Eating and Exercise Practices Surveys (CalCHEEPS) (now discontinued) were the most extensive dietary and physical activity assessments of adults 18 years and older, adolescents 12 to 17, and children 6 to 11, respectively, in the state of California. CDPS and CalCHEEPS were administered biennially in odd years up through 2013 and CalTEENS was administered biennially in even years through 2014. The surveys were designed to monitor dietary trends, especially fruit and vegetable consumption, among Californias for evaluating their progress toward meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Healthy People 2020 Objectives. All three surveys were conducted via telephone. Adult and adolescent data were collected using a list of participating CalFresh households and random digit dial, and child data were collected using only the list of CalFresh households. Older children (9-11) were the primary respondents with some parental assistance. For younger children (6-8), the primary respondent was parents. Data were oversampled for low-income and African American to provide greater sensitivity for analyzing trends among the target population. Wording of the question used for these analyses varied by survey (age group). The questions were worded are as follows: Adult:1) How tall are you without shoes?2) How much do you weigh?Adolescent:1) About how much do you weigh without shoes?2) About how tall are you without shoes? Child:1) How tall is [child's name] now without shoes on?2) How much does [child's name] weigh now without shoes on?

Data for cities, communities, and City of Los Angeles Council Districts were generated using a small area estimation method which combined the survey data with population benchmark data (2022 population estimates for Los Angeles County) and neighborhood characteristics data (e.g., U.S. Census Bureau, 2017-2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates). Data for this indicator are based on self-reported height and weight. Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters. Individuals with a BMI ≥ 30 are considered to have obesity. Note, while BMI can be helpful in screening for individuals with obesity or overweight, it does not measure how much body fat an individual has or provide any diagnostic information about their overall health.Obesity is associated with increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Cities and communities can help curb the current obesity epidemic by adopting policies that support healthy food retail and physical activity and improve access to preventive care services.For more information about the Community Health Profiles Data Initiative, please see the initiative homepage.

United States US: Prevalence of Overweight: Weight for Height: % of Children Under 5 data was reported at 6.000 % in 2012. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7.800 % for 2009. United States US: Prevalence of Overweight: Weight for Height: % of Children Under 5 data is updated yearly, averaging 7.000 % from Dec 1991 (Median) to 2012, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.100 % in 2005 and a record low of 5.400 % in 1991. United States US: Prevalence of Overweight: Weight for Height: % of Children Under 5 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Prevalence of overweight children is the percentage of children under age 5 whose weight for height is more than two standard deviations above the median for the international reference population of the corresponding age as established by the WHO's new child growth standards released in 2006.; ; UNICEF, WHO, World Bank: Joint child malnutrition estimates (JME). Aggregation is based on UNICEF, WHO, and the World Bank harmonized dataset (adjusted, comparable data) and methodology.; Linear mixed-effect model estimates; Estimates of overweight children are also from national survey data. Once considered only a high-income economy problem, overweight children have become a growing concern in developing countries. Research shows an association between childhood obesity and a high prevalence of diabetes, respiratory disease, high blood pressure, and psychosocial and orthopedic disorders (de Onis and Blössner 2003). Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death, and disability in adulthood. In addition to increased future risks, obese children experience breathing difficulties and increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early markers of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and psychological effects. Children in low- and middle-income countries are more vulnerable to inadequate nutrition before birth and in infancy and early childhood. Many of these children are exposed to high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt, calorie-dense, micronutrient-poor foods, which tend be lower in cost than more nutritious foods. These dietary patterns, in conjunction with low levels of physical activity, result in sharp increases in childhood obesity, while under-nutrition continues

Average BMI by genotype for rs12255372 in MESA and WHI Hispanics. (XLSX 39 kb)

Time series data for the statistic Prevalence of overweight, male (% of male adults) and country American Samoa. Indicator Definition:Prevalence of overweight male adults is the percentage of males ages 18 and over whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is more than 25 kg/m2. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height, or the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.The indicator "Prevalence of overweight, male (% of male adults)" stands at 89.95 as of 12/31/2022. Regarding the One-Year-Change of the series, the current value is equal to the value the year prior.The 1 year change in percent is 0.0.The 3 year change in percent is 0.0111.The 5 year change in percent is 0.0111.The 10 year change in percent is 0.0445.The Serie's long term average value is 89.35. It's latest available value, on 12/31/2022, is 0.672 percent higher, compared to it's long term average value.The Serie's change in percent from it's minimum value, on 12/31/1990, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2022, is +3.89%.The Serie's change in percent from it's maximum value, on 12/31/2021, to it's latest available value, on 12/31/2022, is 0.0%.

Average BMI by genotype for the top candidate SNP in each MESA ethnic group. (XLSX 41 kb)

NA: Not applicable, for cells where the zero percent of the population fell into that category.(1) Prevalences and standard errors are calculated using the survey weights from the 5-year visit provided with the dataset. These adjust for unequal probability of selection and response. Survey and subclass estimation commands were used to account for complex sample design.(2) Overweight/obesity is defined as body mass index (BMI) z-score >2 standard deviations (SD) above age- and sex- specific WHO Childhood Growth Standard reference mean at all time points except birth, where we define overweight/obesity as weight-for-age z-score >2 SD above age- and sex- specific WHO Childhood Growth Standard reference mean.(3) To represent socioeconomic status, we used a composite index to capture multiple of the social dimensions of socioeconomic status. This composite index was provided in the ECLS-B data that incorporates information about maternal and paternal education, occupations, and household income to create a variable representing family socioeconomic status on several domains. The variable was created using principal components analysis to create a score for family socioeconomic status, which was then normalized by taking the difference between each score and the mean score and dividing by the standard deviation. If data needed for the composite socioeconomic status score were missing, they were imputed by the ECLS-B analysts [9].(4) We created a 5-category race/ethnicity variable (American Indian/Alaska Native, African American, Hispanic, Asian, white) from the mothers' report of child's race/ethnicity, which originally came 25 race/ethnic categories. To have adequate sample size in race/ethnic categories, we assigned a single race/ethnic category for children reporting more than one race, using an ordered, stepwise approach similar to previously published work using ECLS-B (3). First, any child reporting at least one of his/her race/ethnicities as American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN) was categorized as AIAN. Next, among remaining respondents, any child reporting at least one of his/her ethnicities as African American was categorized as African American. The same procedure was followed for Hispanic, Asian, and white, in that order. This order was chosen with the goal of preserving the highest numbers of children in the American Indian/Alaska Native group and other non-white ethnic groups in order to estimate relationships within ethnic groups, which is often not feasible due to low numbers.

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.

Introduction

School Lunches and Obesity Statistics: The connection between school lunches and obesity is crucial. These meals significantly affect children's nutrition and eating habits.

Nutritional standards, such as those established by the National School Lunch Program in the U.S. Encourage healthier choices by emphasizing low saturated fats and increased fruits and vegetables.

Access to nutritious lunches can enhance dietary quality and reduce food insecurity for low-income families.

Nevertheless, issues related to high caloric intake and unhealthy food options persist, contributing to obesity.

To address this, strategies such as nutrition education, expanding healthy food choices, and encouraging physical activity in schools are vital for promoting healthier lifestyles among children.

For more recent aggregated data reports on childhood obesity in NM, visit NM Healthy Kids Healthy Communities Program, NMDOH: https://www.nmhealth.org/about/phd/pchb/hknm/TitleChildhood Obese and Overweight Estimates, NM Counties 2016 - NMCHILDOBESITY2017SummaryCounty level childhood overweight and obese estimates for 2016 in New Mexico. *Most recent data known to be available on childhood obesity*NotesThis map shows NM County estimated rates of childhood overweight and obesity. US data is available upon request. Published in May, 2022. Data is most recent known sub-national obesity data set. If you know of another resource or more recent, please reach out. emcrae@chi-phi.orgSourceData set produced from the American Journal of Epidemiology and with authors and contributors out of the University of South Carolina, using data from the National Survey of Children's Health. Journal SourceZgodic, A., Eberth, J. M., Breneman, C. B., Wende, M. E., Kaczynski, A. T., Liese, A. D., & McLain, A. C. (2021). Estimates of childhood overweight and obesity at the region, state, and county levels: A multilevel small-area estimation approach. American Journal of Epidemiology, 190(12), 2618–2629. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwab176 Journal article uses data fromThe United States Census Bureau, Associate Director of Demographic Programs, National Survey of Children’s Health 2020 National Survey of Children's Health Frequently Asked Questions. October 2021. Available from:https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/nsch/data/datasets.htmlGIS Data Layer prepared byEMcRae_NMCDCFeature Servicehttps://nmcdc.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=80da398a71c14539bfb7810b5d9d5a99AliasDefinitionregionRegion NationallystateState (data set is NM only but national data is available upon request)fips_numCounty FIPScountyCounty NamerateRate of Obesitylower_ciLower Confidence Intervalupper_ciUpper Confidence IntervalfipstxtCounty FIPS text

BMI, body mass index; N, unweighted number; IQR, interquartile range.