What is the current rate of obesity in the United States and is it increasing or decreasing?

Current Obesity Rates in the United States and Trends

The prevalence of obesity in the United States has increased dramatically over the past decades, with current data indicating that approximately 42% of U.S. adults are affected by obesity, and this rate continues to rise despite numerous public health initiatives. 1

Current Prevalence of Obesity

• According to recent data, approximately 42% of U.S. adults are obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m²), while an additional 33% are overweight (BMI 25-29.9 kg/m²), meaning that approximately 75% of the adult population is either overweight or obese 1, 2
• Among children and adolescents, approximately 17% are obese and 34% are at risk of overweight (at or above the 85th percentile of BMI for age) 2
• Severe obesity (BMI ≥40 kg/m²) affects nearly 6% of U.S. adults, representing a particularly concerning trend as this category is increasing at a faster rate than moderate obesity 2, 3

Obesity Trends Over Time

• Obesity prevalence has more than doubled since the 1980s, increasing from approximately 13% to over 40% by recent measurements 4, 5
• From 2000 to 2005, while overall obesity (BMI >30) increased by 24%, severe obesity (BMI >40) increased by 50%, and extreme obesity (BMI >50) increased by 75%, showing that the most severe categories are growing at the fastest rates 3
• Current forecasts predict that by 2050, if past trends continue, approximately one in three adolescents and two in three adults will have obesity 5

Demographic and Geographic Variations

• Significant disparities exist across different demographic groups:

  • Non-Hispanic Black adults have an obesity prevalence of 44.1%, compared to 38.7% for Hispanics and 32.8% for non-Hispanic whites 2
  • These racial differences are particularly pronounced among women, with 49.6% of non-Hispanic Black women being obese compared to 43.0% of Hispanic women and 33.0% of non-Hispanic white women 2
  • Similar racial disparities exist among children: 20.0% of non-Hispanic Black children and 20.9% of Hispanic children are obese, compared to 15.3% of white children 2

• Geographic variations in obesity prevalence are substantial:

  • The highest rates of obesity are found in the South, western Appalachians, and coastal North and South Carolina 2
  • The lowest rates are in the West, northern Plains, and New England 2
  • Mississippi has historically had the highest adult obesity prevalence (32.8% in earlier data), while Colorado has had the lowest (18.5%) 2

Health Implications of Rising Obesity Rates

• Obesity significantly increases the risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease, with obese men having cardiovascular event rates of 20.21 per 1000 person-years compared to 13.72 in men with normal BMI 1
• The greater the BMI, the higher the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with no threshold effect 1
• Obesity is strongly associated with hypertension, certain cancers, osteoarthritis, liver and kidney disease, sleep apnea, and depression 6
• Even modest weight loss of 5-10% can improve health outcomes, including decreasing hemoglobin A1c by 0.6-1% for those with type 2 diabetes and improving systolic blood pressure by approximately 3 mm Hg for those with hypertension 1

Factors Contributing to Increasing Obesity Rates

• Environmental factors play a significant role in the obesity epidemic, including:
  • Lack of access to full-service grocery stores 2
  • Increasing costs of healthy foods relative to unhealthy options 2
  • Limited access to safe places for physical activity 2
• These environmental factors reduce the likelihood of healthy eating and active living behaviors, contributing to increased obesity rates 2

The obesity epidemic represents a major public health crisis that continues to worsen despite awareness and interventions. The data clearly shows that obesity rates are increasing across all demographic groups, with particularly concerning trends in severe obesity categories and among minority populations.