Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in United States of America
United States of America: Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese was 1.9% in 2014. ▼ Falling
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in United States of America, 1975–2014
Source: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in United States of America is 1.9%, measured in 2014. That is the lowest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is down 13.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in United States of America peaked at 4.9% in 1975 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 2011.
United States of America ranks 154th of 198 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 40 years of available data.
Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in United States of America, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 4.9% | — |
| 1976 | 4.7% | -4.1% |
| 1977 | 4.6% | -2.1% |
| 1978 | 4.4% | -4.3% |
| 1979 | 4.3% | -2.3% |
| 1980 | 4.1% | -4.7% |
| 1981 | 4.0% | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 3.9% | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 3.8% | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 3.7% | -2.6% |
| 1985 | 3.5% | -5.4% |
| 1986 | 3.4% | -2.9% |
| 1987 | 3.3% | -2.9% |
| 1988 | 3.2% | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 3.1% | -3.1% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | -3.2% |
| 1991 | 2.9% | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 2.9% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 2.8% | -3.4% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 2.6% | -3.7% |
| 1996 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 2.5% | -3.8% |
| 1998 | 2.5% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | -4.0% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 2.3% | -4.2% |
| 2002 | 2.3% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 2.2% | -4.3% |
| 2004 | 2.2% | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.1% | -4.5% |
| 2006 | 2.1% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 2.0% | -4.8% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 2.0% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.9% | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.9% | +0.0% |
United States of America compared with similar countries
- United States of America's 1.9% is below the median for high income countries, which is 2.3%, 83% of the median. (67 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 4.6% | 4.3% | 4.9% | 5 |
| 1980s | 3.6% | 3.1% | 4.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.7% | 2.4% | 3.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More health data for United States of America
- 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 women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in United States of America?
- Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese in United States of America was 1.9% in 2014, according to NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 4.9% in 1975.
- What is the lowest share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 2011.
- How does United States of America rank for share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese?
- United States of America ranks 154th out of 198 countries with data for 2014.
- Is share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (2017) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women defined as underweight, healthy, overweight or obese. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of women (% of adult population), who are underweight, healthy/normal, overweight or obese based on body mass index (BMI). Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person's weight divided by their height squared. The WHO define a BMI <=18.5 as underweight; 18.6 to 25.0 as normal/healthy; 25.1 to 30 as overweight; and >30.0 as obese.