Reduce the proportion of adults with obesity — NWS‑03 Data

National Status: Little or no detectable change

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Most Recent Data:
40.2 percent (2021-23) *

National Target:
36.0 percent *

Desired Direction:
Decrease desired

National Baseline:
38.6 percent of adults aged 20 years and over had obesity in 2013-16 *

* Age adjusted to the year 2000 standard population.

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Data Table

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Demographic Group

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Confidence Interval (CI) not available Standard Error (SE) not available Confidence Interval (CI) and Standard Error (SE) are not available

Display data for:

Obesity among adults, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Total	38.6 CI 36.7 / 40.5 SE 0.946	41.8 CI 39.5 / 44.1 SE 1.179	40.2 CI 36.6 / 43.8 SE 1.850

Obesity among adults by Sex, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Male	36.5 CI 34.0 / 39.1 SE 1.260	41.7 CI 37.8 / 45.7 SE 2.002	39.3 CI 35.7 / 42.9 SE 1.839
Female	40.5 CI 38.5 / 42.6 SE 1.016	41.7 CI 39.4 / 44.1 SE 1.175	41.0 CI 36.7 / 45.4 SE 2.207

Obesity among adults by Race/Ethnicity, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
American Indian or Alaska Native only	DSU	DSU	DSU
Asian only	DSU	DSU	DSU
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only	DSU	DSU	DSU
Black or African American only	DNA	DNA	DNA
White only	DNA	DNA	DNA
2 or more races	DSU	DSU	DSU
Hispanic or Latino	44.9 CI 41.8 / 48.0 SE 1.554	44.8 CI 42.1 / 47.6 SE 1.357	DSU³
Mexican American	47.9 CI 44.9 / 50.9 SE 1.483	49.6 CI 45.9 / 53.4 SE 1.844	DSU³
Not Hispanic or Latino	DNA	DNA	DNA
American Indian or Alaska Native only, not Hispanic or Latino	DSU	DSU	DSU
Asian only, not Hispanic or Latino	12.5 CI 10.8 / 14.5 SE 0.886	16.1 CI 13.5 / 18.9 SE 1.327	DSU³
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, not Hispanic or Latino	DSU	DSU	DSU
Black or African American only, not Hispanic or Latino	48.0 CI 44.9 / 51.1 SE 1.531	49.9 CI 47.2 / 52.6 SE 1.372	DSU³
White only, not Hispanic or Latino	37.1 CI 35.0 / 39.3 SE 1.096	41.3 CI 38.0 / 44.6 SE 1.762	DSU³
2 or more races, not Hispanic or Latino	DSU	DSU	DSU

Obesity among adults by Age group, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^† ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
20-44 years	36.8 CI 34.4 / 39.2 SE 1.161	40.8 CI 37.1 / 44.6 SE 1.777	36.7 CI 31.2 / 42.3 SE 2.538
20-24 years	27.2 CI 23.4 / 31.1 SE 1.852	33.9 CI 26.0 / 42.6 SE 3.879	24.0 CI 17.7 / 31.3 SE 3.091
25-44 years	39.2 CI 36.6 / 41.9 SE 1.266	42.6 CI 39.3 / 46.0 SE 1.594	39.6 CI 34.1 / 45.3 SE 2.571
45-64 years	42.1 CI 38.7 / 45.5 SE 1.629	43.7 CI 40.2 / 47.3 SE 1.689	46.4 CI 42.9 / 49.9 SE 1.606
45-54 years	40.5 CI 36.0 / 45.1 SE 2.196	43.2 CI 39.1 / 47.4 SE 1.960	48.8 CI 43.5 / 54.2 SE 2.462
55-64 years	43.8 CI 39.3 / 48.5 SE 2.207	44.2 CI 39.5 / 48.9 SE 2.229	44.5 CI 40.3 / 48.6 SE 1.917
65 years and over	37.6 CI 34.7 / 40.5 SE 1.407	41.0 CI 37.4 / 44.7 SE 1.745	38.2 CI 35.3 / 41.2 SE 1.370
65-74 years	42.0 CI 37.8 / 46.4 SE 2.065	44.8 CI 39.4 / 50.3 SE 2.575	41.3 CI 37.2 / 45.4 SE 1.881
75-79 years	36.4 CI 29.1 / 44.1 SE 3.560	37.9 CI 30.2 / 46.1 SE 3.755	37.1 CI 31.1 / 43.3 SE 2.796
80 years and over	26.7 CI 22.7 / 31.1 SE 2.003	32.4 CI 28.0 / 37.1 SE 2.164	30.0 CI 25.1 / 35.3 SE 2.055

Obesity among adults by Educational attainment (25 years and over), 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Less than High school	41.1 CI 38.3 / 44.0 SE 1.516	41.9 CI 38.4 / 45.5 SE 1.873	44.9 CI 38.6 / 51.4 SE 3.543
High school (including GED or equivalent)	44.2 CI 40.8 / 47.6 SE 1.691	46.5 CI 43.0 / 50.1 SE 1.844	48.4 CI 44.1 / 52.7 SE 2.303
Some college or Associate degree	46.8 CI 44.1 / 49.6 SE 1.340	48.4 CI 45.5 / 51.4 SE 1.463	48.0 CI 44.7 / 51.3 SE 1.702
4-year college degree or more	29.7 CI 27.3 / 32.2 SE 1.199	34.9 CI 31.3 / 38.6 SE 1.798	32.4 CI 27.7 / 37.5 SE 2.410

Obesity among adults by Family income (percent poverty guidelines), 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
<100	42.1 CI 39.0 / 45.2 SE 1.526	43.8 CI 41.0 / 46.5 SE 1.360	DSU⁴
100-199	42.9 CI 39.9 / 45.9 SE 1.500	43.5 CI 39.8 / 47.3 SE 1.917	DSU⁴
200-399	41.5 CI 38.2 / 44.8 SE 1.614	46.3 CI 43.7 / 49.1 SE 1.356	DSU⁴
400+	33.4 CI 30.0 / 36.9 SE 1.729	38.7 CI 33.6 / 44.0 SE 2.647	DSU⁴

Obesity among adults by Health insurance status (20-64 years), 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Insured	38.9 CI 36.2 / 41.6 SE 1.347	43.0 CI 39.8 / 46.2 SE 1.598	40.4 CI 35.7 / 45.1 SE 2.290
Private	37.1 CI 34.2 / 40.0 SE 1.410	41.5 CI 37.7 / 45.4 SE 1.892	38.3 CI 32.7 / 44.1 SE 2.724
Public	45.8 CI 42.3 / 49.2 SE 1.780	47.4 CI 44.3 / 50.6 SE 1.621	45.2 CI 41.5 / 48.9 SE 1.855
Uninsured	39.2 CI 35.2 / 43.4 SE 1.982	37.7 CI 33.9 / 41.6 SE 1.866	42.0 CI 36.5 / 47.6 SE 2.587

Obesity among adults by Geographic location, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Geographic location	DNC	DNC	DNC

Obesity among adults by Marital status, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Married/Cohabiting partner	38.0 CI 35.7 / 40.2 SE 1.127	41.8 CI 38.9 / 44.8 SE 1.508	39.4 CI 35.6 / 43.4 SE 2.095
Divorced, separated, widowed	42.6 CI 40.5 / 44.7 SE 1.598	44.8 CI 42.5 / 47.0 SE 1.666	46.7 CI 43.5 / 49.9 SE 3.399
Never married	42.0 CI 39.1 / 44.9 SE 1.776	44.6 CI 39.8 / 49.4 SE 2.725	40.6 CI 35.9 / 45.4 SE 2.354

Obesity among adults by Country of birth, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
US	40.6 CI 38.6 / 42.7 SE 1.030	44.3 CI 41.8 / 46.9 SE 1.283	42.9 CI 39.9 / 46.0 SE 1.568
Outside US	29.9 CI 26.7 / 33.2 SE 1.598	32.2 CI 29.0 / 35.5 SE 1.654	30.0 CI 24.7 / 35.7 SE 2.740

Obesity among adults by Veteran status, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Veteran status	DNA	DNA	DNA
Veteran	42.4 CI 38.8 / 46.1 SE 2.467	DNA	48.3 CI 42.5 / 54.1 SE 4.288
Non-veteran	38.2 CI 36.2 / 40.1 SE 0.956	DNA	39.6 CI 35.8 / 43.5 SE 1.937

Obesity among adults by Activity limitation, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Activity limitation	DNC	DNC	DNC
With activity limitations	45.0 CI 42.6 / 47.4 SE 1.501	DNC	DNC
Without activity limitations	36.6 CI 34.5 / 38.7 SE 1.021	DNC	DNC

Obesity among adults by Sexual orientation, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Sexual orientation	DSU	DSU	DSU

Obesity among adults by Gender identity, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
Gender identity	DNC	DNC	DNC

Obesity among adults by Diabetes status, 2013-16 to 2021-23 ^* ^◊
(percent)
Decrease desired

Population	2013-16	2017-20¹	2021-23²
With diabetes	64.9 CI 61.5 / 68.1 SE 2.336	67.7 CI 63.6 / 71.7 SE 3.093	68.3 CI 64.9 / 71.4 SE 2.555
Without diabetes	35.9 CI 34.0 / 37.8 SE 0.919	39.0 CI 36.5 / 41.6 SE 1.256	37.4 CI 33.5 / 41.3 SE 1.957

Disparity

Reference rate:

Data Source: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), CDC/NCHS

1 Estimates are calculated from 2017-March 2020 prepandemic data files.

2 Estimates are calculated from August 2021-August 2023 data files.

3 In August 2021-August 2023, data by race/ethnicity are suppressed due to lower sample size (no oversampling). See Data Methodology and Measurement for more details.

4 In August 2021-August 2023, data by income are suppressed due to missing data and lower sample size (no oversampling). See Data Methodology and Measurement for more details.

#: Standard errors and confidence intervals are not available for this population group.

*: Age adjusted to the year 2000 standard population.

◊: Unless otherwise noted, data represent "percent, 20+ years"

†: Target is not applicable for this demographic group.

DSU: Data do not meet the criteria for statistical reliability, data quality, or confidentiality.

DNA: Data have not been analyzed.

DNC: Data for specific population not collected.

--- : Data are not available.

Learn more about data measurement for this objective

Reduce the proportion of adults with obesity — NWS‑03 Data

National Status: Little or no detectable change

Download NWS-03 data

Obesity among adults, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Sex, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Race/Ethnicity, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Age group, 2013-16 to 2021-23 † ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Educational attainment (25 years and over), 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Family income (percent poverty guidelines), 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Health insurance status (20-64 years), 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Geographic location, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Marital status, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Country of birth, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Veteran status, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Activity limitation, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Sexual orientation, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Gender identity, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired

Obesity among adults by Diabetes status, 2013-16 to 2021-23 * ◊(percent)Decrease desired