Find the latest data and trends on childhood and adult obesity from major surveys that track rates at the national and state level, including the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the National Survey of Children’s Health, the WIC Participant and Program Characteristics, and the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
DATA Interactive
National Obesity Monitor
Explore the latest national obesity rates and trends over time for children and adults, including by age group, sex, race and ethnicity. This interactive features data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which is conducted every two years.
Childhood Obesity Data by Age Group
Youth Ages 10 to 17
Updated: October 2019
The 2017-18 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) found obesity rates for youth ages 10 to 17 ranged from a low of 8.7% in Utah to a high of 25.4% in Mississippi.
WIC Preschoolers
UPDATED: June 2019
The national obesity rate among 2- to 4-year-olds enrolled in WIC declined from 15.9% in 2010 to 13.9% in 2016. Rates vary by state and by race and ethnicity.
High School Students
UPDATED: June 2018
The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) shows that 14.8% of U.S. high school students had obesity. An additional 15.6% of high schoolers were overweight.
Fast Facts
31
Thirty-one states reported a significant drop in obesity among 2- to 4-year-old WIC participants from 2010 to 2014.
4x
Since 1980, obesity rates
among teens ages 12 to 19 quadrupled,
from 5% to 20.6%
$14B
In the U.S., childhood obesity alone is estimated to cost $14 billion annually in direct health expenses.
Related Data: High School Students
Nutrition Habits
UPDATED: JUNE 2018
In recent years, there has been a decline in daily soda consumption among high school students, according to the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System released by the CDC. The most recent data reveal that among U.S. high school students, 18.7% drank soda at least once a day in 2017, down from 27% in 2013.
Physical Activity Habits
UPDATED: JUNE 2018
High school students are watching less television and spending more recreational time on computers. The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System report released by the CDC finds that 43% of U.S. high school students used a computer three or more hours a day for fun outside of school work, up from 41.3% in 2013.
Expert Commentary
UPDATED: JUNE 2018
Every two years, the CDC surveys high school students across America to collect height and weight data and information about health behaviors. When the most recent data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) were released in June 2018, we asked Holly Hunt, Chief of CDC’s Healthy Schools, about the findings.
Adult Obesity in the United States
Adult obesity rates now exceed 35% in nine states, 30% in 31 states and 25% in 48 states. Mississippi and West Virginia have the highest adult obesity rate at 39.5% and Colorado has the lowest at 23%. Between 2017 and 2018, the adult obesity rate increased in Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, and Utah, decreased in Alaska, and remained stable in the rest of states and D.C.
Related Adult Data
Diabetes
UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 2019
West Virginia has the highest rate of adult diabetes, 16.2%. Diabetes rates rose significantly in eleven states between 2017 and 2018.
Physical Inactivity
UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 2019
Kentucky has the highest rate of physical inactivity among adults, 32.3%. Eight of the 11 states with the highest rates are in the South.
Hypertension
UPDATED: SEPTEMBER 2018
Eight of the 10 states with the highest rates of hypertension are in the South. West Virginia has the highest rate at 43.5%.
Priority Obesity-Prevention Policies
National Policies
Strong policies can play a key role in helping children grow up healthy. Learn about national policy efforts to improve access to healthy foods, support physical activity and more.
State Policies
This interactive feature tracks the status of each state’s efforts on more than 20 policies aimed at preventing obesity and supporting health in early childhood, schools and communities.
