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 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.

In 2020, the countries with the highest share of men who were overweight or obese were Tonga, Samoa, and the United States. At that time, around 80 percent of men in Tonga aged 20 years and older were overweight or obese. Men were considered overweight if they had a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 25kg/m², and obese if they had a BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m². Obesity among men Women tend to have higher rates of obesity than men, but worldwide rates have risen for both and are expected to climb in the coming years. In 2020, around 14 percent of men worldwide were obese, compared to 18 percent of women. The region of the Americas has the highest prevalence of obesity among men, but every region is expected to see increases in obesity among men over the next decade. In 2020, around 32 percent of men in the Americas were considered obese, with this rate expected to rise to 47 percent by 2035. Obesity raises the risk of developing a number of health conditions including high blood pressure, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. Obesity in the United States In 2023, almost 33 percent of adults in the United States were considered obese. This was an increase from 27.4 percent in the year 2011. Women in the United States have slightly higher rates of obesity than men, with 33.5 percent of women obese in 2023, compared to 32.1 percent of men. The states with the highest obesity rates are West Virginia, Mississippi, and Arkansas. In 2023, an astounding 41 percent of adults in West Virginia were obese. Unhealthy eating behaviors and a lack of physical exercise are the main drivers of obesity.

As of 2016, the most overweight countries worldwide included Nauru, Palau, and the Cook Islands. As of that time, around 70 percent of the adult population in the United States was either overweight or obese. This statistic shows the countries with the highest share of the population that is overweight or obese as of 2016.

With 26 percent, Maine had the highest percentage of Medicare beneficiaries among its total population in 2021. This statistic depicts the top 10 U.S. states based on Medicare beneficiaries as a percentage of the total population in the calendar year 2021.

In 2023, around 36 percent of Hispanic adults in Puerto Rico were considered obese. Being obese can increase one's chances of developing a number of diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Obesity The mean target body mass index among all people is said to be around 18.5 to 24.9 with anything over this number being considered overweight or obese. Several diseases may occur as a result of being overweight or obese. Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke are some of the common diseases that are caused by or worsened by weight gain and obesity. The United States has higher rates of obesity among both men and women compared to other OECD countries. Obesity-related Hispanic health Diabetes is a prevalent health issue among the Hispanic community. Diabetes is among the top 10 leading causes of death among Hispanics in the United States. Hispanics in the U.S. are more likely to die from diabetes than white U.S. residents.

In 2021-2023, the obesity rate among Black adults in Mississippi was around 47 percent. This statistic depicts the obesity rate among African Americans in the United States in 2021-2023, sorted by state.

In 2021, around 16 percent of deaths in Bahrain were attributed to obesity, while around nine percent of deaths in the United States were attributed to obesity. This statistic shows the percentage of deaths in select countries worldwide that were attributed to obesity in 2021.

Malaysia tipped the ASEAN scale as having the highest share of the population being classified as obese in 2019, with over ** percent of its population classed as obese. Contrastingly, just over *** percent of Vietnam’s population was considered obese in 2019. Obesity in APAC The Asia Pacific region has the highest number of overweight and obese people in the world. Additionally, Australia and New Zealand had the highest share of overweight children globally. Diets across the region are rapidly changing as new food trends emerge. The development of economies across the region has made food more affordable and the transition from agriculture to industrialization has made employment for many citizens less physically demanding. These factors can be seen as having contributed to the rise of obesity across the region. Poor diets However, as the obesity rate increases, the levels of food insecurity across the Asia Pacific region have also risen. Food insecurity in South Asia has notably risen steadily since 2015. Malnutrition and undernourishment continue to be problems for the region, with many of its citizens not consuming enough essential vitamins and minerals in their diets. Furthermore, a low share of children in South and East Asia were eating from the minimum number of food groups in 2019.

The share of the population with overweight in the United States was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 1.6 percentage points. After the fifteenth consecutive increasing year, the overweight population share is estimated to reach 77.43 percent and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the share of the population with overweight of was continuously increasing over the past years.Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the share of the population with overweight in countries like Canada and Mexico.

In 2023, the states with the highest death rates due to heart disease were Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama. That year, there were around 251 deaths due to heart disease per 100,000 population in the state of Oklahoma. In comparison, the overall death rate from heart disease in the United States was 162 per 100,000 population. The leading cause of death in the United States Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 22 percent of all deaths in 2023. That year, cancer was the second leading cause of death, followed by unintentional injuries and cerebrovascular diseases. In the United States, a person has a one in six chance of dying from heart disease. Death rates for heart disease are higher among men than women, but both have seen steady decreases in heart disease death rates since the 1950s. What are risk factors for heart disease? Although heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, the risk of heart disease can be decreased by avoiding known risk factors. Some of the leading preventable risk factors for heart disease include smoking, heavy alcohol use, physical inactivity, an unhealthy diet, and being overweight or obese. It is no surprise that the states with the highest rates of death from heart disease are also the states with the highest rates of heart disease risk factors. For example, Oklahoma, the state with the highest heart disease death rate, is also the state with the sixth-highest rate of obesity. Furthermore, Mississippi is the state with the highest levels of physical inactivity, and it has the second-highest heart disease death rate in the United States.

China is the country with the highest number of diabetics worldwide, with around *** million people suffering from the disease. By the year 2050, it is predicted that China will have around *** million people with diabetes. Death from diabetes Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for **** million deaths in 2021. Diabetes at least doubles one’s chance of dying prematurely, and many places in the world lack appropriate treatment options. The highest number of deaths from diabetes comes from the Western Pacific, where around *** million people died from the disease in 2024. Obesity One of the biggest risk factors for developing diabetes is being overweight or obese. Rates of obesity have increased in recent years in many countries around the world. In the United States, for example, it is estimated that around ** percent of the adult population was obese in 2023, compared to ** percent of the population in 2011.

Of the forty* men who have been elected to the office of U.S. president, the average weight of U.S. presidents has been approximately 189lbs (86kg). The weight range has been between 122lbs (55kg) and 332lbs (151kg), meaning that the heaviest president, William Howard Taft, was almost three times as heavy as the lightest president, James Madison (who was also the shortest president). Although Taft weighed over 300lbs during his presidency in 1909, he did implement a fitness and dietary regimen in the 1920s, that helped him lose almost 100lbs (45kg) before his death due to cardiovascular disease in 1930. Increase over time The tallest ever president, Abraham Lincoln (who was 6'4"), actually weighed less than the presidential average, and also less than the average adult male in the U.S. in 2018. It is important to note that the average weight of U.S. males has gradually increased in the past two decades, with some studies suggesting that it may have even increased by 15lbs (7kg) since the 1980s. The presidential averages have also increased over time, as the first ten elected presidents had an average weight of 171lbs (78kg), while the average weight of the ten most recent is 194lbs (88kg). Recent presidents In recent years, the heaviest president has been Donald Trump, who weighed 237lbs (108kg) during his first term in office; however medical reports published in June 2020 show that he gained 7lbs (3kg) during this term. There was also controversy in 2018, when it appeared that Trump's official height had been increased from 6'2" to 6'3", which many speculated was done to prevent him from being categorized as "obese" (according to his BMI). In the past half century, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton were the only other presidents to have weighed more than the presidential average, although both men were also 6'2" (188cm) tall. President Joe Biden weighs below the presidential average, at 177lbs (81kg).