A person whose weight is higher than what is considered to be a normal weight for a given height is described as being overweight or having obesity.1 Show Fast FactsAccording to 2017–2018 data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
According to 2017–2018 NHANES data
Using Body Mass Index (BMI) to Estimate Overweight and ObesityBMI is a tool to estimate and screen for overweight and obesity in adults and children. BMI is defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. BMI is related to the amount of fat in the body. A high amount of fat can raise the risk of many health problems. A health care professional can determine if a person’s health may be at risk because of his or her weight. AdultsThe table below shows BMI ranges for overweight and obesity in adults 20 and older. BMI of Adults Ages 20 and OlderBMIClassification18.5 to 24.9Normal, or healthy, weight25 to 29.9Overweight30+Obesity (including severe obesity)40+Severe obesityUse this online tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to gauge BMI for adults. Children and TeensA child’s body composition changes during growth from infancy into adulthood, and it differs by sex. Therefore, a young person’s weight status is calculated based on a comparison with other same-age and same-sex children or teens using CDC’s age- and sex-specific growth charts. The comparison results in a percentile placement. For example, a boy whose weight in relation to his height is greater than 75% of other same-aged boys places in the 75th percentile for BMI and is considered to be of normal or healthy weight. Children grow at different rates at different times, so it is not always easy to tell if a child is overweight. A child’s health care professional should evaluate the child’s BMI, growth, and potential health risks due to excess body weight. BMI for Children and TeensWeight Status CategoryPercentile RangeUnderweightLess than 5th percentileNormal or healthy weight5th percentile to less than 85th percentileOverweight85th to less than 95th percentileObesity95th percentile or greaterSevere obesity120% of the 95th percentileUse this online tool from the CDC to calculate BMI and the corresponding BMI-for-age percentile based on CDC growth charts, for children and teens. Causes and Health Consequences of Overweight and ObesityFactors that may contribute to excess weight gain among adults and youth include genetics; types and amounts of food and drinks consumed; level of physical activity; degree of time spent on sedentary behaviors, such as watching TV, engaging with a computer, or talking and texting on the phone; sleep habits; medical conditions or medicines; and where and how people live, including their access to and ability to afford healthy foods and safe places to be active.4,5 Overweight and obesity increase the risk for many health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, joint problems, liver disease, gallstones, some types of cancer, and sleep and breathing problems, among other conditions.5,6 Learn more about the causes and health consequences of overweight and obesity. Prevalence of Overweight and ObesityAdultsAge-adjusted percentage of US adults with overweight, obesity, and severe obesity by sex, 2017–2018 NHANES Data2 As shown in the above table
Age-adjusted prevalence of obesity among adults ages 20 and over, by sex and age: United States, 2017–20187 NOTES: Estimates for adults ages 20 and over were age adjusted by the direct method to the 2000 U.S. Census population using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and over. Crude estimates are 42.5% for total, 43.0% for men, and 42.1% for women. Access data table for Figure 1 (PDF, 97.2 KB) .SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2017–2018. As shown in the above bar graph
Age-adjusted prevalence of obesity among adults ages 20 and over, by sex, race, and Hispanic origin: United States, 2017–20187 1Significantly different from all other race and Hispanic-origin groups.2Significantly different from men for same race and Hispanic-origin group. NOTES: Estimates were age adjusted by the direct method to the 2000 U.S. Census population using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and over. Access data table for Figure 2 (PDF, 97.2 KB) . SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2017–2018. As shown in the above bar graph
Age-adjusted prevalence of severe obesity among adults ages 20 and over, by sex, age, and race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2017–20187 2Significantly different from adults ages 20–39. 3Significantly different from adults ages 40–59. 4Significantly different from all other race and Hispanic-origin groups. NOTES: Estimates for adults ages 20 and over were age adjusted by the direct method to the 2000 U.S. Census population using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and over. Crude estimates are 9.0% for total, 6.8% for men, and 11.1% for women. Access data table for Figure 3 (PDF, 97.2 KB) . SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2017–2018. As shown in the above bar graph, men and women differ in their rates of obesity and severe obesity.
YouthPrevalence of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 years: United States, 2017–2018 NHANES data3 NOTE: Excludes pregnant females. Overweight is body mass index (BMI) at or above the 85th percentile and below the 95th percentile from the sex-specific BMI-for-age 2000 CDC Growth Charts. Obesity is BMI at or above the 95th percentile. Severe obesity is BMI at or above 120% of the 95th percentile.SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Graphic representation created by the NIDDK. According to the 2017–2018 NHANES data
Prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 years: United States, 2017–2018 NHANES data3 NOTE: Excludes pregnant females. Overweight is body mass index (BMI) at or above the 85th percentile and below the 95th percentile from the sex-specific BMI-for-age 2000 CDC Growth Charts.SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Graphic representation created by the NIDDK. According to the 2017–2018 NHANES data
Prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 years, by sex and race and Hispanic origin: United States, 2017–2018 NHANES data3 NOTE: Excludes pregnant females. Obesity is body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile from the sex-specific BMI-for-age 2000 CDC Growth Charts.* Estimate has a confidence interval width between 5 and 30 and a relative confidence interval width greater than 130%, and it does not meet National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) standards of reliability; see Series Report 2, Number 175 (PDF, 1.6 MB) . SOURCE: NCHS, National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1988–1994 and 1999–2018. Graphic representation created by the NIDDK. According to the 2017–2018 NHANES data
* See asterisked note in the figure above. Trends in Obesity among Adults and Youth in the United StatesAdultsTrends in age-adjusted (PDF, 97.2 KB) obesity and severe obesity prevalence among adults ages 20 and over: United States, 1999–2000 through 2017–20187 1Significant linear trend.NOTES: Estimates were age adjusted by the direct method to the 2000 U.S. Census population using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and over. Access data table for Figure 4 (PDF, 97.2 KB) . SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2018. As shown in the figure above
YouthTrends in obesity among children and adolescents ages 2–19 years, by age: United States, 1963–1965 through 2017–20183 SOURCES: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Examination Surveys II (ages 6–11) and III (ages 12–17); and National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) I–III, and NHANES 1999–2000, 2001–2002, 2003–2004, 2005–2006, 2007–2008, 2009–2010, 2011–2012, 2013–2014, 2015–2016, and 2017–2018. As shown in the above line graph
References[1] Defining adult obesity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated June 7, 2021. Accessed January 29, 2021. www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/defining.html [2] Fryar CD, Carroll MD, Afful J. Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among adults aged 20 and over: United States, 1960–1962 through 2017–2018. NCHS Health E-Stats, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2020. Updated February 8, 2021. Accessed January 29, 2021. www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-adult-17-18/obesity-adult.htm [3] Fryar CD, Carroll MD, Afful J. Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among children and adolescents aged 2–19 years: United States, 1963–1965 through 2017–2018. NCHS Health E-Stats, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated January 29, 2021. Accessed April 22, 2021. www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-child-17-18/overweight-obesity-child-H.pdf (PDF, 352 KB) [4] What causes obesity and overweight? National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health. Updated July 28, 2021. Accessed January 29, 2021. www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/obesity/conditioninfo/cause [5] Adult overweight causes and consequences. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated March 22, 2021. Accessed January 29, 2021. www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes.html [6] Cotter TG, Rinella M. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease 2020: the state of the disease. Gastroenterology. 2020;158(7):1851–1864. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.01.052 [7] Hales CM, Carroll MD, Fryar CD, Ogden CL. Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among adults: United States, 2017–2018. National Center for Health Statistics Data Brief 360. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated February 27, 2020. Accessed January 29, 2021. www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db360.htm |