Nineteen states and 2 territories* have at least 35% of residents with adult obesity–more than doubling the number of states with a high obesity prevalence since 2018–according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 2021 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps also highlight the need to address disparities in obesity across states and racial and ethnic populations, through increased access to obesity prevention and treatment.
Combined data from 2019–2021 show the number of states and territories with an obesity prevalence of 35% or higher varies widely across race and ethnicity:
- American Indian or Alaska Native adults: 31 states
- Asian adults: 0 states
- Black adults: 36 states and the District of Columbia
- Hispanic adults: 27 states and Guam
- White adults: 10 states
State-based adult obesity prevalence by race, ethnicity, and location is based on self-reported height and weight data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Adults with obesity are at increased risk for many other serious health conditions such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, severe outcomes from COVID-19, and poor mental health. Additionally, many people with obesity report being stigmatized because of their weight.
“This report illustrates the urgent need for making obesity prevention and treatment accessible to all Americans in every state and every community,” said CDC acting principal deputy director, Debra Houry, MD, MPH. “When we provide stigma-free support to adults living with obesity, we can help save lives and reduce severe outcomes of disease.”
*The 19 states and 2 territories are: Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
Note: CDC encourages the use of respectful images and person-first language (eg, “adults with obesity” or “adults have obesity”) and not “obese adults” when discussing obesity and other chronic diseases.
