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A Project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Data
National Obesity Monitor
National childhood obesity rate and adult obesity rate data. The feature also illustrate trends over time, including by age group, sex, and race and ethnicity, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
Adults
39.5%
Adult obesity rates now exceed 35% in 16 states. Mississippi has the highest rate, 39.7%.
10-17 Year Olds
16.2%
The latest National Survey of Children’s Health finds that 16.2% of U.S. youth ages 10 to 17 have obesity.
2-4 Year Olds
14.4%
The rate of obesity declined from 15.9% in 2010 to 14.4% in 2018 among 2- to 4-year-olds enrolled in WIC
High School Students
15.5%
15.5% of U.S. high school students have obesity, according to the latest data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.
Policies
Child Nutrition Policies
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Dietary Guidelines
Food Marketing to Children
Head Start and Early Head Start
Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Standards in Early Care and Education
Healthy Food Financing Initiative
Menu Labeling
Nutrition Facts Labeling
Physical Education and Physical Activity in Schools
Preemption
Safe Routes to School
School Meals and Snacks
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program
States
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Stories
Sugary Drinks and Tobacco—Different Industries, Same Playbook
Matthew Myers and Kelly Brownell discuss how marketing tactics for sugary drink ads and tobacco ads have the same strategy. Target kids and get them hooked.
Bold Solutions for Healthier Kids and a Healthier Planet
Working towards a healthier planet and healthier kids means addressing obesity, hunger, and climate change. They are all connected.
Fighting for Food Justice
Detroit is working towards ending food insecurity, especially for the Black community, starting with adjusting food production and sales.
In Mexico, Healthy Food Is a Child’s Right
Mexican states are working to protect children's rights, by limiting donations, sales, or supplies of sugary drinks, soda, chips, and candy to children
Our People Will Walk With Good Health
Birthed in South Dakota, the "Bountiful Backpacks" program is a smart, scalable approach to boosting food security by ensuring kids and families had enough to eat. Beyond this, it transformed families' diets by increasing fruit and vegetable consumption, providing nutrition and cooking education.
Why Drinking Water Quality Matters
In recognition of Water Quality Month, we spoke with two experts on the importance of water quality and access to clean water in the U.S.
Special Reports
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The State of Obesity
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