Topic: Overweight and obesity in the United States

Overweight and obesity in the United States - Statistics & Facts

The United States is the country with the highest number of people living with obesity in the world. With 77 million people affected by the condition in 2022, the country outpaces by millions more highly populated countries such as China and India. This scale is reflected in public perception: 34 percent of U.S. adults named obesity the biggest health problem facing their country in 2025, well above the global average of 25 percent.

Share of U.S. adults who described themselves as overweight
**%

Percentage of U.S. women who were seriously trying to lose weight
32%

Share of U.S. adults who think lifestyle choices play an important role in causing obesity
**%

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Current statistics on this topic

State of Health

Adults worldwide who stated obesity is their country's leading health issue 2025

State of Health

Countries with the highest number of children living with obesity worldwide 2025

Diseases

Top countries with highest obesity rates worldwide in 2023

Global overview

Main health problems according to public opinion worldwide in 2024
Main health problems according to public opinion worldwide in 2024
Ranking of the main health problems according to public opinion worldwide in 2024
Adults worldwide who stated obesity is their country's leading health issue 2025
Adults worldwide who stated obesity is their country's leading health issue 2025
Percentage of adults worldwide who stated that obesity was the biggest health problem facing people in their country in 2025
Countries with the highest population with obesity in 2022
Countries with the highest population with obesity in 2022
Ranking of countries with the highest number of obese people worldwide in 2022 (in millions)
Countries with the highest number of children living with obesity worldwide 2025
Countries with the highest number of children living with obesity worldwide 2025
Countries with the highest number of children aged 5-19 years living with obesity worldwide as of 2025 (in millions)
Top countries with highest obesity rates worldwide in 2023
Top countries with highest obesity rates worldwide in 2023
Ranking of countries with the highest percent of population with obesity worldwide and comparison with their total population in 2023
Obesity - prevalence in selected countries by gender 2024
Obesity - prevalence in selected countries by gender 2024
Prevalence of obesity among adults in selected countries as of 2024, by gender

Prevalence

U.S. adult obesity prevalence in 2023, by gender
U.S. adult obesity prevalence in 2023, by gender
Percentage of U.S. adults who were obese in 2023, by gender
Obesity prevalence among adults in the U.S. by gender and age 2021-2023
Obesity prevalence among adults in the U.S. by gender and age 2021-2023
Obesity prevalence among U.S. adults from 2021 to 2023, by gender and age group
Severe obesity prevalence among U.S. adults 2021-2023, by age and gender
Severe obesity prevalence among U.S. adults 2021-2023, by age and gender
Prevalence of severe obesity among U.S. adults from 2021 to 2023, by age and gender
Adult obesity rates in the U.S. by race/ethnicity 2024
Adult obesity rates in the U.S. by race/ethnicity 2024
Obesity rates for adults in the United States in 2024, by race/ethnicity
Prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults in 2024, by education
Prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults in 2024, by education
Prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults in 2024, by education
U.S. adult obesity prevalence in 2024, by annual income
U.S. adult obesity prevalence in 2024, by annual income
Share of U.S. adults who were obese in 2024, by annual income
How U.S. college students described their weight as of fall 2025
How U.S. college students described their weight as of fall 2025
Percentage of U.S. college students that described themselves as underweight or overweight as of fall 2025

Approaches to weight management

Share of U.S. adults who wanted to lose weight from 1951 to 2025, by gender
Share of U.S. adults who wanted to lose weight from 1951 to 2025, by gender
Share of U.S. adults who wanted to lose weight from 1951 to 2025, by gender
Share of U.S. adults who were interested in select weight loss methods 2023
Share of U.S. adults who were interested in select weight loss methods 2023
Percentage of adults in the United States who felt they needed to lose weight who were interested in trying select weight loss methods as of 2023
Usage of weight loss medication in the U.S. 2026
Usage of weight loss medication in the U.S. 2026
Usage of weight loss medication in the U.S. as of May 2026
Opinion on using GLP-1 drugs for weight management 2026
Opinion on using GLP-1 drugs for weight management 2026
Opinion on using GLP-1 drugs for weight management as of 2026
U.S. consumers' use of weight management products & services 2024
U.S. consumers' use of weight management products & services 2024
Share of U.S. consumers that used selected weight management products or services in the past as of November 2024
Level of comfort with AI usage for AI-powered nutrition advice in the U.S. 2025
Level of comfort with AI usage for AI-powered nutrition advice in the U.S. 2025
How comfortable would you be with AI tools helping you and your household with AI-powered nutrition advice?

Related conditions

Burden of disease from non-communicable diseases in the U.S. 2010-2023
Burden of disease from non-communicable diseases in the U.S. 2010-2023
Burden of disease from non-communicable diseases in the United States from 2010 to 2023 (in DALYs per 100,000 individuals)
Burden of disease from non-communicable diseases in the U.S. 2023, by category
Burden of disease from non-communicable diseases in the U.S. 2023, by category
Burden of disease from non-communicable diseases in the United States in 2023, by category (in million DALYs)
Distribution of disease burden from non-communicable diseases U.S. 2023, by age
Distribution of disease burden from non-communicable diseases U.S. 2023, by age
Distribution of disease burden from non-communicable diseases in the United States in 2023, by age
Share of U.S. adults with diabetes 1999-2023
Share of U.S. adults with diabetes 1999-2023
Percentage of adults in the United States with diabetes from 1999 to 2023
Prevalence of hypertension in the U.S. in 2021-2023, by age and gender
Prevalence of hypertension in the U.S. in 2021-2023, by age and gender
Percentage of adults with hypertension in the United States in 2021-2023, by age and gender
High cholesterol among adults in the U.S. 2019-2024, by age group
High cholesterol among adults in the U.S. 2019-2024, by age group
Prevalence of high total cholesterol among adults in the U.S. from 2019 to 2024, by age group

Risk and prevention

Physically inactive population share in the U.S. 2013-2024
Physically inactive population share in the U.S. 2013-2024
Share of population who engaged in no physical activity in the United States from 2013 to 2024
Cities with the highest and lowest rates of physical activity in the U.S. 2026
Cities with the highest and lowest rates of physical activity in the U.S. 2026
Cties with the five highest and lowest share of physically active adults in the United States as of 2026
States ranked for children's nutrition and physical activity in the U.S. 2026
States ranked for children's nutrition and physical activity in the U.S. 2026
Ranking of states regarding children's nutrition, physical activity, and obesity in the United States as of 2026
Barriers to eating a healthier diet, according to U.S. adults, 2024
Barriers to eating a healthier diet, according to U.S. adults, 2024
Share of U.S. adults who stated the following were barriers to eating a healthier diet as of 2024
U.S. consumers struggling to eat healthily due to rising food costs by income 2025
U.S. consumers struggling to eat healthily due to rising food costs by income 2025
Share of consumers who found it difficult to maintain a healthy diet due to the rising cost of healthy food in the United States as of March 2025, by income
Trusted sources of food and nutrition information for consumers in the U.S. 2024
Trusted sources of food and nutrition information for consumers in the U.S. 2024
Trusted sources of food, nutrition, and diet information for consumers in the United States as of July 2024

Share of U.S. adults who described themselves as overweight
**%

Percentage of U.S. women who were seriously trying to lose weight
32%

Share of U.S. adults who think lifestyle choices play an important role in causing obesity
**%

Key figures

The most important key figures provide you with a compact summary of the topic of "Overweight and obesity in the United States" and take you straight to the corresponding statistics.

- Age group with the highest adult obesity prevalence
- **-***years
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Detailed statistics
Obesity prevalence among adults in the U.S. by gender and age 2021-2023
- Share of college students describing themselves as overweight
- 36%
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Detailed statistics
How U.S. college students described their weight as of fall 2025
- Number of children aged 5-19 living with high BMI
- 27m
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Detailed statistics
Countries with the highest number of children living with high BMI worldwide 2025

- Weight-loss method adults are most interested in
- More exercise
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Detailed statistics
Share of U.S. adults who were interested in select weight loss methods 2023
- Share of consumers comfortable with AI-powered nutrition advice
- **%
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Detailed statistics
Level of comfort with AI usage for AI-powered nutrition advice in the U.S. 2025
- Adults who see GLP-1 drugs as legitimate treatment for chronic disease
- **%
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Detailed statistics
Opinion on using GLP-1 drugs for weight management 2026

- City with the least share of active adults
- Laredo, TX
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Detailed statistics
Cities with the highest and lowest rates of physical activity in the U.S. 2026
- Best state for children's nutrition & activity
- Massachusetts
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Detailed statistics
States ranked for children's nutrition and physical activity in the U.S. 2026
- Most-trusted source of food and nurition information
- Food & nutrition scientists
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Detailed statistics
Trusted sources of food and nutrition information for consumers in the U.S. 2024

- Largest category of non-communicable disease burden
- Cardiovascular disease
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Detailed statistics
Burden of disease from non-communicable diseases in the U.S. 2023, by category
- Share of adults living with diabetes
- 14%
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Detailed statistics
Share of U.S. adults with diabetes 1999-2023
- High-cholesterol prevalence among adults aged 65 and over
- 49%
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Detailed statistics
High cholesterol among adults in the U.S. 2019-2024, by age group

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Overweight and obesity in the United States - Statistics & Facts

Key insights