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.

This statistic depicts the average body mass index (BMI) of U.S. males aged 20 years and over from 1999 to 2016, by ethnicity. According to the data, the average male BMI for those that identified as white was **** in ********* and increased to **** as of *********.

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.

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 2023, it was estimated that around 37 percent of adults with an annual income of less than 15,000 U.S. dollars were obese, compared to 29 percent of those with an annual income of 75,000 dollars or more. This statistic shows the percentage of U.S. adults who were obese in 2023, by income.

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

Normal Weight, Overweight, and Obesity Among Adults Aged 20 and Over by Selected Population Characteristics

Context:

This dataset provides data on the prevalence of normal weight, overweight, and obesity among adults aged 20 and over, segmented by various population characteristics. The data is sourced from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). This dataset is invaluable for understanding the distribution and trends of weight-related health metrics across different demographics in the United States.

Source: - National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES): Conducted by NCHS. - Supporting Documentation: Refer to the HUS 2019 Data Finder for detailed definitions, measures, and changes over time. - Appendix Entry: Additional information available in the corresponding Appendix entry.

Source URLs: - HUS 2019 Data Finder - Appendix Entry - Data.gov Dataset

Dataset Details and Key Features

This dataset includes data collected over multiple time periods, providing insights into the weight distribution among adults aged 20 and over. Key features include segmentation by sex and specific age ranges.

Key Features:

• Time Coverage: Data spans several decades, from 1988-2018.
• Demographic Breakdown: Includes data by sex and age groups, allowing for detailed analysis.
• Percentage Data: Provides percentage estimates of normal weight, overweight, and obesity.
• Standard Error: Includes standard error for each estimate, indicating the precision of the estimates.

Usage

Research and Analysis:

• Health Trends: Study trends in weight distribution among different demographic groups.
• Public Health Initiatives: Inform public health strategies and interventions targeting obesity and overweight issues.
• Socioeconomic Analysis: Analyze the impact of socio-economic factors on weight-related health metrics.

Policy Making:

• Policy Development: Develop policies aimed at reducing obesity rates and promoting healthy weight.
• Resource Allocation: Allocate resources effectively to areas with higher prevalence of overweight and obesity.
• Program Evaluation: Evaluate the effectiveness of past and current public health programs.

Healthcare Planning:

• Preventive Measures: Design preventive measures and programs based on demographic data.
• Community Outreach: Plan community outreach programs targeting high-risk groups.
• Nutritional Guidelines: Inform the creation of nutritional guidelines and recommendations.

Data Maintenance:

• Maintainer: National Center for Health Statistics
• Publisher: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Last Updated: August 29, 2023

Quality Assurance:

• Data Validation: Ensures data accuracy through rigorous validation processes.
• Consistency Checks: Regular consistency checks to maintain data integrity.

Additional Notes:

• For detailed definitions and explanations of measures, refer to the PDF or Excel version of this table in the HUS 2019 Data Finder.
• Data is collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), ensuring comprehensive coverage and reliability.

Columns:

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.

Data on overweight and obesity among adults aged 20 and over in the United States, by selected characteristics, including sex, age, race, Hispanic origin, and poverty level. Data are from Health, United States. SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Search, visualize, and download these and other estimates from over 120 health topics with the NCHS Data Query System (DQS), available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/dataquery/index.htm.

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

In 2022, the states with the highest death rates due to heart disease were Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Alabama. That year, there were around 257 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 167 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 21 percent of all deaths in 2022. That year, cancer was the second leading cause of death, followed by unintentional injuries and COVID-19. 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 third-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.

This dataset tracks the updates made on the dataset "Normal weight, overweight, and obesity among adults aged 20 and over, by selected characteristics: United States" as a repository for previous versions of the data and metadata.

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.

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 dataset tracks the updates made on the dataset "DQS Normal weight, overweight, and obesity among adults aged 20 and over, by selected characteristics: United States" as a repository for previous versions of the data and metadata.

This dataset tracks the updates made on the dataset "DEV DQS Normal weight, overweight, and obesity among adults aged 20 and over, by selected characteristics: United States" as a repository for previous versions of the data and metadata.

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?

This web map is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) PLACES. It provides model-based estimates of obesity prevalence among adults aged 18 years and old at county, place, census tract and ZCTA levels in the United States. PLACES is an expansion of the original 500 Cities Project and a collaboration between the CDC, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the CDC Foundation. Data sources used to generate these estimates include the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), Census 2020 population counts or Census annual county-level population estimates, and the American Community Survey (ACS) estimates. For detailed methodology see www.cdc.gov/places. For questions or feedback send an email to places@cdc.gov.Measure name used for obesity is OBESITY.

Total and excess annual medical expenditures by BMI category ($US 2019).

In 2023, it was estimated that around 32 percent of men and 34 percent of women in the U.S. were obese. This statistic shows the percentage of adults in the United States who were obese in 2023, by gender.