Prevalence of overweight (% of adults) in United States
United States: Prevalence of overweight (% of adults) was 72.4% in 2022. ▲ Rising
Prevalence of overweight in United States, 1990–2022
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/). Measured in % of adults.
Analysis
United States recorded 72.4% for prevalence of overweight in 2022. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.5% on the previous year and up 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, prevalence of overweight in United States peaked at 72.4% in 2022 and was at its lowest, 50.9%, in 1990.
United States ranks 19th of 196 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Prevalence of overweight (% of adults) in United States, year by year
| Year | % of adults | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 50.9% | — |
| 1991 | 51.9% | +2.0% |
| 1992 | 52.9% | +2.0% |
| 1993 | 53.9% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 54.9% | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 55.9% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 56.9% | +1.8% |
| 1997 | 57.9% | +1.7% |
| 1998 | 58.8% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 59.8% | +1.6% |
| 2000 | 60.7% | +1.5% |
| 2001 | 61.5% | +1.4% |
| 2002 | 62.4% | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 63.2% | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 63.9% | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 64.7% | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 65.3% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 66.0% | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 66.6% | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 67.1% | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 67.6% | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 68.1% | +0.7% |
| 2012 | 68.5% | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 68.9% | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 69.3% | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 69.7% | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 70.1% | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 70.5% | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 70.9% | +0.6% |
| 2019 | 71.3% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 71.7% | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 72.1% | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 72.4% | +0.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 72.4% is above the median for high income countries, which is 60.7%, 1.2× the median. (66 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 55.4% | 50.9% | 59.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.1% | 60.7% | 67.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 69.5% | 67.6% | 71.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 72.1% | 71.7% | 72.4% | 3 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 16 Iraq 73.2% compare
- 17 Marshall Islands 73.2% compare
- 18 Belize 72.8% compare
- 20 Saudi Arabia 71.8% compare
- 21 Micronesia (country) 71.7% compare
- 22 Panama 71.6% compare
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)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 4,015 (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)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0274 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is prevalence of overweight in United States?
- Prevalence of overweight in United States was 72.4% in 2022, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).
- What is the highest prevalence of overweight recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 72.4% in 2022.
- What is the lowest prevalence of overweight recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 50.9% in 1990.
- How does United States rank for prevalence of overweight?
- United States ranks 19th out of 196 countries with data for 2022.
- Is prevalence of overweight rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.8%. 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 Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/), published as part of Prevalence of overweight (% of adults). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Prevalence of overweight adults is the percentage of adults ages 18 and over whose Body Mass Index (BMI) is more than 25 kg/m2. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height, or the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters.