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 2023, approximately ** percent of men in West Virginia were obese, the highest share of any state in the United States. This statistic presents the states with the highest share of men who were obese with a body mass index (BMI) of ** or higher in the U.S. in 2023.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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/).;;

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

United States Overweight or Obese Population was up 0.4points in 2019, compared to the previous year.

Obesity rates for each Census Tract in Allegheny County were produced for the study “Developing small-area predictions for smoking and obesity prevalence in the United States." The data is not explicitly based on population surveys or data collection conducted in Allegheny County, but rather estimated using statistical modeling techniques. In this technique, researchers applied the obesity rate of a demographically similar census tract to one in Allegheny County to compute an obesity rate.

This data set is calculated for the State of the Tropics 2014 report from original source: World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Infobase; Estimated Obesity(BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) Prevalence, Males & Females, Aged 15+, 2002,2005,2010; https://apps.who.int/infobase/Comparisons.aspx

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 or go to the "About" tab.

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.

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.

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.

Data on normal weight, overweight, and obesity among adults aged 20 and over by selected population characteristics. Please refer to the PDF or Excel version of this table in the HUS 2019 Data Finder (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/contents2019.htm) for critical information about measures, definitions, and changes over time. SOURCE: NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. For more information on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, see the corresponding Appendix entry at https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus19-appendix-508.pdf.

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).