Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in United States
United States: Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita was 41.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in United States, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United States recorded 41.8% for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in United States peaked at 41.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 11.8%, in 1980.
That places United States 19th out of 199 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 11.8% | — |
| 1981 | 12.4% | +4.7% |
| 1982 | 13.0% | +4.7% |
| 1983 | 13.6% | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 14.2% | +4.7% |
| 1985 | 14.9% | +4.7% |
| 1986 | 15.6% | +4.6% |
| 1987 | 16.3% | +4.6% |
| 1988 | 17.0% | +4.5% |
| 1989 | 17.8% | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 18.6% | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 19.4% | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 20.3% | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 21.1% | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 22.1% | +4.3% |
| 1995 | 23.0% | +4.2% |
| 1996 | 23.9% | +4.1% |
| 1997 | 24.9% | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 25.9% | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 26.8% | +3.8% |
| 2000 | 27.8% | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 28.8% | +3.6% |
| 2002 | 29.8% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 30.8% | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 31.7% | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 32.6% | +2.9% |
| 2006 | 33.5% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 34.3% | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 35.1% | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 35.8% | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 36.4% | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 37.0% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 37.5% | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 38.0% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 38.5% | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 38.9% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 39.4% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 39.7% | +1.0% |
| 2018 | 40.1% | +0.9% |
| 2019 | 40.4% | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 40.7% | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 41.0% | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 41.3% | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 41.6% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 41.8% | +0.6% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 41.8% is above the median for high income countries, which is 30.0%, 1.4× the median. (66 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 14.7% | 11.8% | 17.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.6% | 18.6% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.0% | 27.8% | 35.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 38.6% | 36.4% | 40.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 41.3% | 40.7% | 41.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More health data for United States
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.67 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate -0.1867 % change on previous year (2090)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,069 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4,015 deaths (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2023)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate 0.056 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate 0.1919 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in United States?
- Share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita in United States was 41.8% in 2024, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 41.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.8% in 1980.
- How does United States rank for share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita?
- United States ranks 19th out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of adults who are obese vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of adults who are obese vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Obesity is defined as having a body-mass index (BMI) ≥ 30. BMI is a person's weight (in kilograms) divided by their height (in meters) squared. GDP per capita is adjusted for inflation and differences in living costs between countries.