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, 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 42 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 33 percent of the adult population in the U.S. is now considered obese. Obesity rates can vary substantially by state, with around 41 percent of the adult population in West Virginia reportedly obese, compared to 25 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 eight percent of adults in the U.S. have been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes is now the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for three percent of all deaths.

In 2022, the U.S. states with the highest rates of obesity among women were Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. At that time, almost 43 percent of women in Tennessee were considered obese. The states with the highest rates of obesity among men are West Virginia, Kentucky, and Oklahoma. Obesity: Women vs. men As of 2022, women in the United States had slightly higher rates of obesity than men. At that time, around 34.1 percent of women were considered obese, compared to 32.6 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 2023, the mean self-reported weight among men in the United States was 199 pounds, while women reported weighing an average of 164 pounds. Which state is the most obese? As of 2022, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adult obesity in the United States, with around 41 percent of the population considered obese. Following West Virginia, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Mississippi, 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, a quarter of adults in the state were obese. West Virginia is also the state with the highest prevalence of obesity among high school students, with 27 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.

In 2023, approximately 40 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 30 or higher in the U.S. in 2023.

About a fifth of Hispanic high school students in the United States were overweight between 2016 and 2017, making it the ethnic group with the highest percentage of overweight high school students. Female obesity rates were considerably higher than those of male students for the black and Hispanic groups during the measured period.

Overweight and obese U.S. adults

U.S. overweight rates in adults differed slightly from those of U.S. high school students in 2017. That year, the African American population had the highest overweight and obesity rates of any race or ethnicity, closely followed by American Indians/Alaska Natives and Hispanics. Over 73 percent of all African American adults in the country were either overweight or obese. In 2018, the highest rates of obesity among African Americans could be found in states, such as Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee.

Overweight youth worldwide

Many children and adolescents in other countries, such as New Zealand, Greece, and Italy, also struggle with overweight and obesity. In New Zealand, for example, over forty percent of boys and girls, up to age 19, were overweight or obese in 2016. In the same year, less than ten percent of Indian children and teenagers were overweight.

In 2021, around 27 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 41 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 2023, just over half of U.S. college students (18 years and older) described their weight as “about the right weight”. Almost a third of the respondents stated that they were slightly overweight, while 6.5 percent said they were very overweight. Furthermore, roughly 37 percent of college students rated their health as very good, while just two percent of this group rated their general health as poor.

In Mississippi, over seven 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 fourth, Oklahoma in seventh, and Louisiana in tenth 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 22 and 25 percent. The average for the country itself stood at just over 31 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 22 people per 100,000 died of diabetes mellitus in the United States. In the same year, roughly 165 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.

The prevalence of obesity in the United States has risen gradually over the past decade. As of 2023, around 33 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 41 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 8.4 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 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.

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.

This statistic shows the industries in the U.S. with the highest percentage of employees who were overweight or obese as of 2015. It was found that 22.75 percent of employees in the healthcare services and equipment industry were overweight and 21.09 percent were obese.

In 2021-2023, the obesity rate among white adults in Alabama was 36 percent, while West Virginia reported a rate of 41 percent. This statistic depicts the obesity rate among white adults in the United States in 2021-2023, by state.

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.

Surveys comparing obesity rates among adults in the United States in 2019 and 2023 revealed that both years presented similar trends. Adults aged 45–65 years old had the highest obesity rates in both years. Additionally, obesity rates increased across all age groups in 2023 compared to 2019. This statistic depicts the percentage of adults in the United States with obesity in 2019 and 2023, by age.

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.

In 2021-2023, the obesity rate among Latinos in Alabama amounted to around 36 percent, while Michigan reported a rate of 39 percent. This statistic depicts the obesity rate among Latinos in the United States in 2021-2023, sorted by state.

From 2017 to March 2020, the prevalence of severe obesity in the U.S. was highest among non-Hispanic blacks. This statistic shows the age-adjusted prevalence of severe obesity among U.S. adults aged 20 and over from 2017 to March 2020, by race/ethnicity.

In 2022, over 33 percent of both men and women in the United States reported themselves as obese (BMI over 30), making it the country with the highest percentage of obese adults on this list. Other selected countries on the list with a high prevalence of obesity among adults included the United Kingdom and Australia. Obesity groups in the United States In 2022, Black adults had the highest overweight and obesity rates of any race or ethnicity in the United States. Asians and Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders had the lowest rates by far, with roughly 14 percent. In 2021, about 30 percent of people aged 65 and older were obese in the United States. This estimate has been steadily increasing since 2013 when roughly 27 percent of elderly Americans were obese. Leading health problems worldwide Obesity was considered one of 2023’s biggest health problems: 25 percent of adults worldwide stated that obesity was the biggest health issue for people within their country. Around 44 percent of adults stated that mental health was the most significant problem facing their country that year.

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.

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.