The prevalence of obesity in the US has more than doubled since 1980, with over 40% of adults now obese. Obesity rates vary significantly by race and ethnicity, being highest among Black adults (50%) and lowest among Asian adults (17%). Obesity contributes greatly to national healthcare costs, accounting for 21% of annual medical spending or $147 billion in 2008.

2. US Prevalence of Obesity
• The prevalence of obesity in adults has doubled since 1980.
• The prevalence of overweight in children has tripled since
the early 1970’s.

3. • The average American adult is more than 24 pounds heavier
today than in 1960
• As of 2018, 34.1 million (13% ) of adults have diabetes. About
89% of adults with diagnosed diabetes are obese or overweight
• The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the U.S. was
$147 billion in 2008 U.S. dollars; the medical costs for people
who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal
• 21% of annual medical spending is on obesity related illnesses.
www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2007.pdf
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5345a2.htm
America Weighing In

4. Prevalence of Obesity in Adults
Data from the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey in 2017-2018
 Monitoring obesity prevalence is relevant for public
health programs that focus on reducing or preventing
obesity.
 From 1999–2000 through 2017–2018, the prevalence of
obesity increased from 30.5% to 42.4%, and the
prevalence of severe obesity increased from 4.7% to
9.2%.

5. Prevalence of Obesity in Adults
Data from the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey 2017-2018 (Age)
 From 1999–2000 through 2017–2018, the prevalence of
both obesity and severe obesity increased among
adults.
 The prevalence of obesity was 40.0% among young
adults aged 20 to 39 years, 44.8% among middle-aged
adults aged 40 to 59 years, and 42.8% among older
adults aged 60 and older. There were no significant
differences in prevalence by age group.
 The prevalence of severe obesity was highest among
adults aged 40–59 compared with other age groups.

6. Prevalence of Obesity
Data from the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey 2017-2018 (Age and Gender)
 Among men, the prevalence of obesity was 40.3%
among those aged 20–39, 46.4% among those aged
40–59, and 42.2% among those aged 60 and over.
 Among women, the prevalence of obesity was 39.7%
among those aged 20–39, 43.3% among those aged 40–
59, and 43.3% among those aged 60 and over. None of
the differences by age were significant.
 There was no significant difference in the prevalence
of obesity between men and women overall or by age
group.

7. Figure 1. Prevalence of obesity among adults aged 20 and over,
by sex and age: United States, 2017–2018
SOURCE: NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2017–2018.

8. Prevalence of Obesity
Data from the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey 2017-2018 (Race)
 The prevalence of obesity was lowest among non-Hispanic Asian adults
(17.4%) compared with non-Hispanic white (42.2%), non-Hispanic black
(49.6%), and Hispanic (44.8%) adults. Non-Hispanic black adults had
the highest prevalence of obesity compared with all other race and
Hispanic-origin groups.
 Among men, the prevalence of obesity was lowest in non-Hispanic Asian
(17.5%) compared with non-Hispanic white (44.7%), non-Hispanic black
(41.1%), and Hispanic (45.7%) men, but there were no significant
differences among non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and
Hispanic men. The prevalence of obesity was lowest among non-
Hispanic Asian women (17.2%) compared with non-Hispanic white
(39.8%), Hispanic (43.7%), and non-Hispanic black (56.9%) women, and
prevalence among non-Hispanic black women was higher than all other
groups.
 Non-Hispanic black women had a higher prevalence of obesity
than non-Hispanic black men. There were no significant
differences in prevalence between men and women among non-
Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Asian, or Hispanic adults.

9. Prevalence of obesity among adults aged 20
and over, by sex and race and Hispanic
origin: United States, 2015-2016

11. Obesity Trends Among US Adults
by Race, Ethnicity
Race/
Ethnicity
1999-
2000
2001-
2002
2003-
2004
2007-
2008
2009
-2010
2011-
2014
2015-
2016
2017-
2018
White 28.7 30.2 30.6 32.4 34.3 34.5 37.9 42.2
Black 39.8 39 45 44.1 49.5 48.1 46.8 49.6
Hispanic 34.4 31.0 36.8 38.7 39.1 42.5 47.0 44.8

12. Obesity and Socioeconomic Status
 Overall, men and women with college degrees had lower obesity
prevalence compared with those with less education.
 Among men, obesity prevalence was lower in the lowest and
highest income groups compared with the middle income group.
This pattern was seen among non-Hispanic white and Hispanic
men. Obesity prevalence was higher in the highest income group
than in the lowest income group among non-Hispanic black
men.
 Among women, obesity prevalence was lower in the highest
income group than in the middle and lowest income groups.
This pattern was observed among non-Hispanic white, non-
Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic women. Among non-Hispanic
black women, there was no difference in obesity prevalence by
income.

13. Prevalence of Obesity
Data from the 2017-2018 NHANES Survey
Summary
 The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 42.4%, and the age-adjusted
prevalence of severe obesity was 9.2% among adults aged 20 and over in
the United States in 2017–2018. The overall prevalence of obesity was
similar among men and women, but the prevalence of severe obesity was
higher among women. Adults aged 40–59 had the highest prevalence of
severe obesity.
 The prevalence of obesity was highest among non-Hispanic black adults
compared with other race and Hispanic-origin groups, overall and among
women. However, among men, the prevalence of obesity was not
significantly different between non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black,
and Hispanic men. Overall, and among men and women, obesity was
lowest among non-Hispanic Asian adults. Non-Hispanic black adults had
the highest prevalence of severe obesity, and non-Hispanic Asian adults
had the lowest.
 From 1999–2000 through 2017–2018, the prevalence of obesity and severe
obesity increased, but the observed increase in the prevalence of obesity
and severe obesity between 2015–2016 and 2017–2018 was not significant.