Trends in the Prevalence of Obesity and Dietary Behaviors National YRBS: 1991—2017
The national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) monitors health behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death, disability, and social problems among youth and adults in the United States. The national YRBS is conducted every two years during the spring semester and provides data representative of 9th through 12th grade students in public and private schools throughout the United States.
| Percentages | Trend from 1991–20171 | Change from 2015–20172 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1993 | 1995 | 1997 | 1999 | 2001 | 2003 | 2005 | 2007 | 2009 | 2011 | 2013 | 2015 | 2017 | ||
| Had obesity (≥ 95th percentile for body mass index, based on sex- and age-specific reference data from the 2000 CDC growth charts) |
|||||||||||||||
| —3 | — | — | — | 10.6 | 10.5 | 12.0 | 13.0 | 12.8 | 11.8 | 13.0 | 13.7 | 13.9 | 14.8 | Increased 1999—2017 | No change |
| Were overweight (≥ 85th percentile but <95th percentile for body mass index, based on sex- and age-specific reference data from the 2000 CDC growth charts) |
|||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | 14.1 | 13.6 | 14.7 | 15.6 | 15.6 | 15.6 | 15.2 | 16.6 | 16.0 | 15.6 | Increased 1999—2017 | No change |
| Did not eat fruit or drink 100% fruit juices (during the 7 days before the survey) |
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| — | — | — | — | 5.4 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 5.6 | No change 1999—2017 | No change |
| Ate fruit or drank 100% fruit juices three or more times per day (during the 7 days before the survey) |
|||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | 24.9 | 21.6 | 21.1 | 19.8 | 21.3 | 22.9 | 22.4 | 21.9 | 20.0 | 18.8 | Decreased 1999—2017 | No change |
| Did not eat vegetables (green salad, potatoes [excluding French fries, fried potatoes, or potato chips], carrots, or other vegetables, during the 7 days before the survey) |
|||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | 4.2 | 4.6 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 6.0 | 5.7 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 7.2 | Increased 1999—2017 | No change |
| Ate vegetables three or more times per day (green salad, potatoes [excluding French fries, fried potatoes, or potato chips], carrots, or other vegetables, during the 7 days before the survey) |
|||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | 14.0 | 13.5 | 14.6 | 12.9 | 13.2 | 13.8 | 15.3 | 15.7 | 14.8 | 13.9 | No change 1999—2017 | No change |
| Did not drink milk (during the 7 days before the survey) |
|||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | 17.0 | 16.4 | 16.6 | 16.5 | 18.2 | 17.3 | 17.3 | 19.4 | 21.5 | 26.7 | Increased 1999—2017 Increased 1999—2013 Increased 2013—2017 |
Increased |
| Drank three or more glasses per day of milk (during the 7 days before the survey) |
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| — | — | — | — | 18.0 | 16.4 | 17.1 | 16.2 | 14.1 | 14.5 | 14.9 | 12.5 | 10.2 | 7.9 | Decreased 1999—2017 Decreased 1999—2013 Decreased 2013—2017 |
Decreased |
| Did not drink soda or pop (not counting diet soda or diet pop, during the 7 days before the survey) |
|||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18.6 | 19.4 | 20.9 | 22.3 | 26.2 | 27.8 | Increased 2007—2017 | No change |
| Drank soda or pop three or more times per day (a can, bottle or glass, not counting diet soda or diet pop, during the 7 days before the survey) |
|||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14.4 | 11.2 | 11.3 | 11.2 | 7.1 | 7.1 | Decreased 2007—2017 | No change |
| Did not eat breakfast (during the 7 days before the survey) |
|||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13.1 | 13.7 | 13.8 | 14.1 | No change 2011—2017 | No change |
| Ate breakfast on all 7 days (during the 7 days before the survey) |
|||||||||||||||
| — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 37.7 | 38.1 | 36.3 | 35.3 | No change 2011—2017 | No change |
- Based on linear and quadratic trend analyses using logistic regression models controlling for sex, race/ethnicity, and grade, p < 0.05. Significant linear trends (if present) across all available years are described first followed by linear changes in each segment of significant quadratic trends (if present).
- Based on t-test analysis, p < 0.05.
- Not available.
Page last reviewed: April 9, 2019