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.

The adult obesity rate, or the percentage of the county population (age 18 and older*) that is obese, or has a Body Mass Index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30 [kg/m2], is illustrative of a serious health problem, in Champaign County, statewide, and nationally.

The adult obesity rate data shown here spans from Reporting Years (RY) 2015 to 2024. Champaign County’s adult obesity rate fluctuated during this time, peaking in RY 2022. The adult obesity rates for Champaign County, Illinois, and the United States were all above 30% in RY 2024, but the Champaign County rate was lower than the state and national rates. All counties in Illinois had an adult obesity rate above 30% in RY 2024, but Champaign County's rate is one of the lowest among all Illinois counties.

Obesity is a health problem in and of itself, and is commonly known to exacerbate other health problems. It is included in our set of indicators because it can be easily measured and compared between Champaign County and other areas.

This data was sourced from the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute’s and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. Each year’s County Health Rankings uses data from the most recent previous years that data is available. Therefore, the 2024 County Health Rankings (“Reporting Year” in the table) uses data from 2021 (“Data Year” in the table). The survey methodology changed in Reporting Year 2015 for Data Year 2011, which is why the historical data shown here begins at that time. No data is available for Data Year 2018. The County Health Rankings website notes to use caution if comparing RY 2024 data with prior years.

*The percentage of the county population measured for obesity was age 20 and older through Reporting Year 2021, but starting in Reporting Year 2022 the percentage of the county population measured for obesity was age 18 and older.

Source: University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. County Health Rankings & Roadmaps 2024. www.countyhealthrankings.org.

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.

Layers in this service includes: Birth, Cancer, Hospitalization Discharge, Mortality and STI Rates, as well as Demographics.

National Obesity Percentages by State. Explanation of Field Attributes:Obesity - The percent of the state population that is considered obese from the 2015 CDC BRFSS Survey.

Obesity has become a major concern for health officials in the United States. Rates of obesity are higher than ever before and as a result, consequential medical conditions have arisen in those who suffer from obesity; while at the same time, medical expenses are skyrocketing for these same individuals. In this study, I analyze regional trends in the United States of both obesity rates and walkability in 74 cities in the United States. After analyzing the data and constructing visual representations, I found that the Northeast region of the US is most walkable, while the Southeast and Southwestern regions are the least walkable. In regards to obesity rates, I found that the West had the lowest obesity rates in both 2010 and 2013, while the Midwest and the Southeast had a high obesity rate in both 2010 and 2013. Additionally, the Northeastern US had a high obesity rate in 2013.

In 2021, around ** percent of high school students in the state of West Virginia were obese, making it the state with the highest share of obese high school students that year. Colorado and Utah had the lowest obesity rates among students that year. The state with the highest share of obese adults West Virginia not only has the highest rate of obese high school students, it is also the U.S. state with the highest percentage of obese adults, which was about ** percent as of 2023. Obesity remains a growing problem in the United States, especially in the southern states. Body image among college students In the fall of 2024, just over half of U.S. college students (18 years and older) described their weight as “about the right weight”. Over ********* of the respondents stated that they were slightly overweight, while *** percent said they were very overweight. Furthermore, roughly ** percent of college students rated their health as very good, while just ****percent of this group rated their general health as poor.

This driver measures the percentage of US citizens aged 18 and older who are considered obese based on their body mass index (BMI). Data is sourced from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In 2023, Black adults had the highest obesity rates of any race or ethnicity in the United States, followed by American Indians/Alaska Natives and Hispanics. As of that time, around ** percent of all Black adults were obese. Asians/Pacific Islanders had by far the lowest obesity rates. Obesity in the United States Obesity is a present and growing problem in the United States. An astonishing ** percent of the adult population in the U.S. is now considered obese. Obesity rates can vary substantially by state, with around ** percent of the adult population in West Virginia reportedly obese, compared to ** percent of adults in Colorado. The states with the highest rates of obesity include West Virginia, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Diabetes Being overweight and obese can lead to a number of health problems, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Being overweight or obese is one of the most common causes of type 2 diabetes, a condition in which the body does not use insulin properly, causing blood sugar levels to rise. It is estimated that just over ***** percent of adults in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is now the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for ***** percent of all deaths.

Youth (8th, 10th and 12th grade) obesity and overweight rate from Washington State Healthy Youth Survey (HYS). The Healthy Youth Survey (HYS) is a collaborative effort of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Department of Health, the Health Care Authority - Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery, and Liquor and Cannabis Board.

Splitgraph serves as an HTTP API that lets you run SQL queries directly on this data to power Web applications. For example:

See the Splitgraph documentation for more information.

In 2022, the U.S. states with the highest rates of obesity among women were Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. At that time, almost ** percent of women in Tennessee were considered obese. The states with the highest rates of obesity among men are West Virginia, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Obesity: Women vs. men As of 2023, women in the United States had slightly higher rates of obesity than men. At that time, around **** percent of women were considered obese, compared to **** percent of men. Rates of obesity among both men and women are higher in the United States than any other OECD country, with high-calorie diets, often from fast food and sugary drinks, and large food portion sizes being partly to blame. In 2024, the mean self-reported weight among men in the United States was *** pounds, while women reported weighing an average of *** pounds. Which state is the most obese? As of 2023, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adult obesity in the United States, with around ** percent of the population considered obese. Following West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana, had some of the highest rates of obesity in the country. Colorado had the lowest share of adults who were obese at that time, but still, ********* of adults in the state were obese. West Virginia is also the state with the highest prevalence of obesity among high school students, with ** percent of high schoolers considered obese in 2021. Obesity in childhood is associated with obesity as adults, as well as mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

Quality of life is a measure of comfort, health, and happiness by a person or a group of people. Quality of life is determined by both material factors, such as income and housing, and broader considerations like health, education, and freedom. Each year, US & World News releases its “Best States to Live in” report, which ranks states on the quality of life each state provides its residents. In order to determine rankings, U.S. News & World Report considers a wide range of factors, including healthcare, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime and corrections, and the natural environment. More information on these categories and what is measured in each can be found below:

Healthcare includes access, quality, and affordability of healthcare, as well as health measurements, such as obesity rates and rates of smoking. Education measures how well public schools perform in terms of testing and graduation rates, as well as tuition costs associated with higher education and college debt load. Economy looks at GDP growth, migration to the state, and new business. Infrastructure includes transportation availability, road quality, communications, and internet access. Opportunity includes poverty rates, cost of living, housing costs and gender and racial equality. Fiscal Stability considers the health of the government's finances, including how well the state balances its budget. Crime and Corrections ranks a state’s public safety and measures prison systems and their populations. Natural Environment looks at the quality of air and water and exposure to pollution.

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

In the United States, the rate of obesity is lower among college graduates compared to those who did not graduate from college. For example, in 2023, around 27 percent of college graduates were obese, while 36 percent of those with some college or technical school were obese. At that time, rates of obesity were highest among those with less than a high school education, at around 37 percent. Income and obesity As with education level, there are also differences in rates of obesity in the United States based on income. Adults in the U.S. with an annual income of 75,000 U.S. dollars or more have the lowest rates of obesity, with around 29 percent of this population obese in 2023. On the other hand, those earning less than 15,000 U.S. dollars per year had the highest rates of obesity at that time, at 37 percent. One reason for this disparity may be a lack of access to fresh food among those earning less, as cheap food in the United States tends to be unhealthier. What is the most obese state? As of 2023, the states with the highest rates of obesity were West Virginia, Mississippi, and Arkansas. At that time, around 41 percent of adults in West Virginia were obese. The states with the lowest rates of obesity were Colorado, Hawaii, and Massachusetts. Still, around a quarter of adults in Colorado were obese in 2023. West Virginia and Mississippi are also the states with the highest rates of obesity among high school students. Children with obesity are more likely to be obese as adults and are at increased risk of health conditions such as asthma, type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea.

The Student Weight Status Category Reporting System (SWSCR) collects weight status category data (underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese, based on BMI-for-age percentile). The dataset includes separate estimates of the percent of students overweight, obese and overweight or obese for all reportable grades within the county and/or region and by grade groups (elementary and middle/high). The rates of overweight and obesity reported are percentages based on counts of students in selected grades (Pre-K, K, 2, 4, 7, 10) reported to the NYSDOH. Because these rates reflect a broad range of factors that vary by school district, to make comparisons about observed differences in the rates of obesity and overweight between school districts requires the use of multivariate statistics. County, regional and statewide estimates will only be provided biennially, District estimates will be updated annually. For more information check out http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/obesity/, see our Instruction Guide on How to Create Visualizations https://health.data.ny.gov/api/assets/6490BDA9-AE4D-406F-BA5A-703793526B9F. The "About" tab contains additional details concerning this dataset.

Title Childhood Obese and Overweight Estimates, NM Counties 2016 - NMCHILDOBESITY2017

Summary County level childhood overweight and obese estimates for 2016 in New Mexico. Most recent data known to be available on childhood obesity

Notes This 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.org

Source Data 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 Source Zgodic, 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 from The 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.html

GIS Data Layer prepared by EMcRae_NMCDC

Feature Service https://nmcdc.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=80da398a71c14539bfb7810b5d9d5a99

Alias Definition

region Region Nationally

state State (data set is NM only but national data is available upon request)

fips_num County FIPS

county County Name

rate Rate of Obesity

lower_ci Lower Confidence Interval

upper_ci Upper Confidence Interval

fipstxt County FIPS text

Data on obesity rates among adolescents aged 12-19 years in the United States, including statistics on prevalence and associated conditions.

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.

The Student Weight Status Category Reporting System (SWSCR) collects weight status category data (underweight, healthy weight, overweight or obese, based on BMI-for-age percentile). The dataset includes separate estimates of the percent of students overweight, obese and overweight or obese for all reportable grades within the county and/or region and by grade groups (elementary and middle/high). The rates of overweight and obesity reported are percentages based on counts of students in selected grades (Pre-K, K, 2, 4, 7, 10) reported to the NYSDOH. Because these rates reflect a broad range of factors that vary by school district, to make comparisons about observed differences in the rates of obesity and overweight between school districts requires the use of multivariate statistics. For more information check out http://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/obesity/, see our Instruction Guide on How to Create Visualizations https://health.data.ny.gov/api/assets/6490BDA9-AE4D-406F-BA5A-703793526B9F or go to the "About" tab.