This report presents a range of statistics on obesity, physical activity and diet, drawn together from a variety of sources.The topics covered include:
Overweight and obesity prevalence among adults and children;
Physical activity levels among adults and children;
Trends in purchases and consumption of food and drink, and energy intake;
Health outcomes of obesity.
Trends by State 1985–2008
Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. BMI is calculated from a person’s weight and height and provides a reasonable indicator of body fatness and weight categories that may lead to health problems.
Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States.
In 2008, only one state (Colorado) had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%.
Thirty-two states had a prevalence equal to or greater than 25%; six of these states (Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia ) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.
Obesity by Race/Ethnicity 2006-2008
New Obesity Data Shows Blacks Have the Highest Rates of Obesity.
Blacks had 51 percent higher prevalence of obesity, and Hispanics had 21 percent higher obesity prevalence compared with whites.
Greater prevalences of obesity for blacks and whites were found in the South and Midwest than in the West and Northeast.
Hispanics in the Northeast had lower obesity prevalence than Hispanics in the Midwest, South or West.
For this study analysis, CDC analyzed the 2006−2008 BRFSS data.
Trends in Childhood Obesity
Data from NHANES surveys (1976–1980 and 2003–2006) show that the prevalence of obesity has increased: for children aged 2–5 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 12.4%; for those aged 6–11 years, prevalence increased from 6.5% to 17.0%; and for those aged 12–19 years, prevalence increased from 5.0% to 17.6%