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Health E-Stat 111: Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Severe Obesity Among Adults Age 20 and Older: United States, 1960–1962 Through August 2021–August 2023
by Cheryl D. Fryar, M.S.P.H., Joseph Afful, M.S., and Nadia T. Saif, M.D.
This report presents historical trends in overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among adults using measured heights and weights from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
In August 2021–August 2023, the age-adjusted prevalence of U.S. adults age 20 and older with obesity was 40.3%, including 9.7% with severe obesity and another 31.7% who were overweight. Unadjusted estimates were 40.3% for obesity, 9.4% for severe obesity, and 32.1% for overweight.
Age-adjusted trends in overweight, obesity, and severe obesity prevalence from 1960–1962 through August 2021–August 2023 are shown in Table 1. Because surveys before 1988 did not include people older than age 74, Table 1 shows the prevalence for adults age 20 and older since 1988, and for adults ages 20–74 for all survey periods. The age-adjusted sex-specific trends of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among adults ages 20–74 from 1960–1962 through August 2021–August 2023 are shown in the Figure. Table 2 contains the prevalence of obesity by age for men and women since 1988–1994, and Table 3 contains the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity by race and Hispanic origin for men and women since 1988–1994.
Data source and methods
NHANES, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, is a stratified, multistage probability sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. NHANES included oversampling of total Hispanic people starting in 2007–2008 and non-Hispanic Asian (subsequently, Asian) people starting in 2011–2012. Data collection was suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in August 2021 using a new sample design with no oversampling by race and Hispanic origin (1).
A household interview and a health examination are conducted for each survey participant. During the examination, height and weight are measured by trained technicians in a mobile examination center using standardized measuring procedures and equipment. Pregnant women and people missing a valid height or weight measurement are not included in the data analysis.
Body mass index (BMI), expressed as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2), is commonly used to classify overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9), obesity (BMI at or above 30.0), and severe obesity (BMI at or above 40.0). The prevalence of obesity as measured by BMI among Asian adults is consistently lower than that reported for non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black (subsequently, Black), and Hispanic adults. Although BMI is widely used as a measure of body fat, at a given BMI level, body fat may vary by sex, age, and race and Hispanic origin. In particular, research suggests that health risks may begin at a lower BMI among Asian people compared with other race and Hispanic-origin groups (2,3). Additionally, research suggests that BMI overestimates adiposity (body fat) among Black people at a given BMI compared with others (4).
Examination sample weights were used to account for the complex sample design. Analyses were performed using SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, N.C.) and SAS-callable SUDAAN version 11.0 (RTI International, Research Triangle Park, N.C.).
For additional information on NHANES methods, visit: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/analyticguidelines.aspx.
For more detailed estimates, see:
- Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, Johnson CL. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999–2000. JAMA. 2002 Oct;288(14):1723–7. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.288.14.1723.
- Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Curtin LR, McDowell MA, Tabak CJ, Flegal KM. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in the United States, 1999–2004. JAMA. 2006 Apr;295(13):1549–55. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.295.13.1549.
- Ogden CL, Carroll MD, McDowell MA, Flegal KM. Obesity among adults in the United States—No statistically significant change since 2003–2004. NCHS Data Brief. 2007 Nov;(1):1–8. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db01.pdf.
- Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, Curtin LR. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999–2008. JAMA. 2010 Jan;303(3):235–41. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2009.2014.
- Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Ogden CL. Prevalence of obesity and trends in the distribution of body mass index among US adults, 1999–2010. JAMA. 2012 Feb;307(5):491–7. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2012.39.
- Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011–2012. JAMA. 2014 Feb;311(8):806–14. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2014.732.
- Flegal KM, Kruszon-Moran D, Carroll MD, Fryar CD, Ogden CL. Trends in obesity among adults in the United States, 2005 to 2014. JAMA. 2016 Jun;315(21):2284–91. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.6458.
- Hales CM, Fryar CD, Carroll MD, Freedman DS, Ogden CL. Trends in obesity and severe obesity prevalence in US youth and adults by sex and age, 2007–2008 to 2015–2016. JAMA. 2018 Apr;319(16):1723–5. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2018.3060.
- Ogden CL, Fryar CD, Martin CB, Freedman DS, Carroll MD, Gu Q, et al. Trends in obesity prevalence by race and Hispanic origin—1999–2000 to 2017–2018. JAMA. 2020 Sep;324(12):1208–10. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.14590.
- Emmerich SD, Fryar CD, Stierman B, Gu Q, Afful J, Ogden CL. Trends in Obesity-Related Measures Among US Children, Adolescents, and Adults. JAMA. 2025 Mar;333(12):1082–4. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.2024.27676.
References
- Terry AL, Chiappa MM, McAllister J, Woodwell DA, Graber JE. Plan and operations of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, August 2021–August 2023. Vital Health Stat 1. 2024 May;(66):1–21. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/151927.
- Deurenberg P, Deurenberg-Yap M, Guricci S. Asians are different from Caucasians and from each other in their body mass index/body fat per cent relationship. Obes Rev. 2002 Aug;3(3):141–6. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1467-789x.2002.00065.x.
- Zheng W, McLerran DF, Rolland B, Zhang X, Inoue M, Matsuo K, et al. Association between body-mass index and risk of death in more than 1 million Asians. N Engl J Med. 2011 Feb;364(8):719–29. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1010679.
- Rao G, Powell-Wiley TM, Ancheta I, Hairston K, Kirley K, Lear SA, et al. Identification of obesity and cardiovascular risk in ethnically and racially diverse populations: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2015 Aug;132(5):457–72. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000223.
This Health E-Stat supersedes the earlier version, “Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Severe Obesity Among Adults Aged 20 and Over: United States, 1960–1962 Through 2017–2018,” available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-adult-17-18/obesity-adult.htm.
Suggested citation
Fryar CD, Afful J, Saif NT. Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among adults age 20 and older: United States, 1960–1962 Through August 2021–August 2023. NCHS Health E-Stat. 2026 Feb;(111):1–7. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc/174643.
| Age group and survey period | Sample(n) | All | Men | Women | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overweight | Obesity | Severe obesity | Overweight | Obesity | Severe obesity | Overweight | Obesity | Severe obesity | |||||||||||
| 20 and older1 | Percent (standard error) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1994 | 16,235 | 33.1 | (0.6) | 22.9 | (0.7) | 2.8 | (0.2) | 40.7 | (0.8) | 20.2 | (0.7) | 1.7 | (0.3) | 25.9 | (0.7) | 25.4 | (0.9) | 3.9 | (0.3) |
| 1999–2000 | 4,117 | 34.0 | (1.0) | 30.5 | (1.5) | 4.7 | (0.6) | 39.7 | (1.4) | 27.5 | (1.5) | 3.1 | (0.7) | 28.6 | (1.6) | 33.4 | (1.7) | 6.2 | (0.7) |
| 2001–2002 | 4,413 | 35.1 | (1.1) | 30.5 | (1.1) | 5.1 | (0.5) | 42.2 | (1.3) | 27.7 | (1.0) | 3.6 | (0.6) | 28.2 | (1.7) | 33.2 | (1.5) | 6.5 | (0.6) |
| 2003–2004 | 4,431 | 34.1 | (1.1) | 32.2 | (1.2) | 4.8 | (0.6) | 39.7 | (1.5) | 31.1 | (1.3) | 2.8 | (0.4) | 28.6 | (1.2) | 33.2 | (1.7) | 6.9 | (0.9) |
| 2005–2006 | 4,356 | 32.6 | (0.8) | 34.3 | (1.4) | 5.9 | (0.5) | 39.9 | (1.3) | 33.3 | (2.0) | 4.2 | (0.5) | 25.5 | (1.2) | 35.3 | (1.4) | 7.4 | (0.7) |
| 2007–2008 | 5,550 | 34.3 | (0.8) | 33.7 | (1.1) | 5.7 | (0.4) | 40.1 | (1.4) | 32.2 | (1.4) | 4.2 | (0.5) | 28.6 | (1.2) | 35.4 | (1.1) | 7.3 | (0.6) |
| 2009–2010 | 5,926 | 33.0 | (1.0) | 35.7 | (0.9) | 6.3 | (0.2) | 38.4 | (1.1) | 35.5 | (1.7) | 4.4 | (0.3) | 27.9 | (1.4) | 35.8 | (0.9) | 8.1 | (0.5) |
| 2011–2012 | 5,181 | 33.6 | (1.3) | 34.9 | (1.4) | 6.4 | (0.6) | 37.8 | (1.5) | 33.5 | (1.4) | 4.4 | (0.9) | 29.7 | (1.8) | 36.1 | (1.7) | 8.3 | (0.7) |
| 2013–2014 | 5,455 | 32.5 | (0.8) | 37.7 | (0.9) | 7.7 | (0.7) | 38.7 | (1.2) | 35.0 | (1.1) | 5.5 | (0.6) | 26.5 | (0.8) | 40.4 | (1.3) | 9.9 | (0.9) |
| 2015–2016 | 5,337 | 31.6 | (0.8) | 39.6 | (1.6) | 7.7 | (0.6) | 36.5 | (1.6) | 37.9 | (2.3) | 5.6 | (0.7) | 26.9 | (1.0) | 41.1 | (1.6) | 9.7 | (0.7) |
| 2017–2018 | 5,120 | 30.7 | (0.9) | 42.4 | (1.8) | 9.2 | (0.9) | 34.1 | (1.8) | 43.0 | (2.7) | 6.9 | (1.0) | 27.5 | (1.0) | 41.9 | (2.0) | 11.5 | (1.3) |
| August 2021–August 2023 | 5,929 | 31.7 | (0.9) | 40.3 | (1.9) | 9.7 | (0.7) | 35.5 | (1.4) | 39.3 | (1.9) | 6.8 | (0.7) | 28.1 | (0.9) | 41.4 | (2.3) | 12.6 | (1.0) |
| 20–742 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1960–1962 | 6,126 | 31.5 | (0.5) | 13.4 | (0.5) | 0.9 | (0.1) | 38.7 | (0.7) | 10.7 | (0.7) | 0.3 | (0.1) | 24.7 | (0.8) | 15.8 | (0.6) | 1.4 | (0.2) |
| 1971–1974 | 12,911 | 32.7 | (0.6) | 14.5 | (0.4) | 1.3 | (0.2) | 41.7 | (1.1) | 12.1 | (0.6) | 0.6 | (0.2) | 24.3 | (0.7) | 16.6 | (0.6) | 2.0 | (0.3) |
| 1976–1980 | 11,765 | 32.1 | (0.6) | 15.0 | (0.4) | 1.4 | (0.1) | 39.9 | (0.8) | 12.7 | (0.6) | 0.4 | (0.1) | 24.9 | (0.8) | 17.0 | (0.6) | 2.2 | (0.3) |
| 1988–1994 | 14,319 | 32.6 | (0.6) | 23.2 | (0.7) | 3.0 | (0.3) | 40.3 | (0.8) | 20.5 | (0.7) | 1.8 | (0.3) | 25.1 | (0.8) | 25.9 | (1.0) | 4.1 | (0.3) |
| 1999–2000 | 3,603 | 33.6 | (1.1) | 30.9 | (1.6) | 5.0 | (0.6) | 39.2 | (1.5) | 27.7 | (1.6) | 3.3 | (0.7) | 28.0 | (1.7) | 34.0 | (1.8) | 6.6 | (0.8) |
| 2001–2002 | 3,916 | 34.4 | (1.1) | 31.2 | (1.1) | 5.4 | (0.5) | 41.5 | (1.4) | 28.3 | (1.1) | 3.9 | (0.7) | 27.3 | (1.6) | 34.1 | (1.6) | 6.8 | (0.6) |
| 2003–2004 | 3,756 | 33.4 | (1.2) | 32.9 | (1.3) | 5.1 | (0.6) | 39.4 | (1.5) | 31.7 | (1.4) | 3.0 | (0.4) | 27.3 | (1.3) | 34.0 | (1.9) | 7.3 | (1.0) |
| 2005–2006 | 3,835 | 32.2 | (0.9) | 35.1 | (1.5) | 6.2 | (0.5) | 39.7 | (1.3) | 33.8 | (2.2) | 4.3 | (0.5) | 24.7 | (1.3) | 36.3 | (1.5) | 7.9 | (0.8) |
| 2007–2008 | 4,876 | 33.6 | (0.8) | 34.3 | (1.2) | 6.0 | (0.4) | 39.4 | (1.4) | 32.5 | (1.5) | 4.4 | (0.5) | 27.9 | (1.2) | 36.2 | (1.3) | 7.6 | (0.6) |
| 2009–2010 | 5,279 | 32.7 | (1.0) | 36.1 | (0.9) | 6.6 | (0.2) | 38.0 | (1.2) | 35.9 | (1.7) | 4.6 | (0.4) | 27.5 | (1.5) | 36.1 | (0.9) | 8.5 | (0.5) |
| 2011–2012 | 4,674 | 33.3 | (1.4) | 35.3 | (1.4) | 6.6 | (0.6) | 37.3 | (1.5) | 33.9 | (1.5) | 4.5 | (1.0) | 29.5 | (2.0) | 36.6 | (1.6) | 8.6 | (0.7) |
| 2013–2014 | 4,940 | 31.9 | (0.8) | 38.2 | (1.0) | 8.1 | (0.8) | 38.2 | (1.3) | 35.5 | (1.2) | 5.7 | (0.7) | 25.8 | (0.9) | 41.0 | (1.4) | 10.5 | (1.0) |
| 2015–2016 | 4,778 | 31.0 | (0.8) | 40.0 | (1.8) | 8.0 | (0.6) | 35.8 | (1.8) | 38.3 | (2.4) | 5.9 | (0.8) | 26.3 | (1.1) | 41.6 | (1.7) | 10.1 | (0.7) |
| 2017–2018 | 4,536 | 30.3 | (1.2) | 42.8 | (1.9) | 9.6 | (1.0) | 33.7 | (1.9) | 43.5 | (2.7) | 7.3 | (1.0) | 26.9 | (0.9) | 42.1 | (2.1) | 12.0 | (1.5) |
| August 2021–August 2023 | 5,249 | 31.3 | (0.9) | 40.8 | (2.0) | 10.2 | (0.8) | 35.1 | (1.4) | 39.7 | (1.9) | 7.2 | (0.8) | 27.6 | (1.0) | 42.0 | (2.4) | 13.2 | (1.1) |
1Age adjusted by the direct method to the U.S. Census 2000 estimates using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and older. Crude estimates (not age adjusted) for August 2021–August 2023 are 32.1% for overweight, 40.3% for obesity, and 9.4% for severe obesity.
2Age adjusted by the direct method to the U.S. Census 2000 estimates using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60–74. The 1960–1962 National Health Examination Survey included adults ages 18–79, and the 1971–1974 and 1976–1980 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys did not include people over age 74.
NOTES: Overweight is body mass index (BMI) of 25.0–29.9, obesity is BMI at or above 30.0, and severe obesity is BMI at or above 40.0. Pregnant women are excluded from this analysis.
SOURCES: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health Examination Survey, 1960–1962; and National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1971–1974, 1976–1980, 1988–1994, 1999–2018, and August 2021–August 2023.
| Survey period | All | Men | Women | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–39 | 40–59 | 60 and older | 20–39 | 40–59 | 60 and older | 20–39 | 40–59 | 60 and older | ||||||||||
| Percent (standard error) | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1994 | 17.7 | (0.7) | 27.9 | (1.1) | 23.7 | (0.9) | 14.8 | (0.8) | 25.4 | (1.2) | 21.2 | (1.4) | 20.7 | (1.3) | 30.3 | (1.5) | 25.6 | (1.1) |
| 1999–2000 | 26.0 | (1.3) | 33.5 | (3.0) | 33.5 | (1.7) | 23.7 | (1.6) | 28.8 | (2.9) | 31.7 | (2.2) | 28.3 | (2.0) | 37.7 | (3.3) | 35.0 | (2.2) |
| 2001–2002 | 26.1 | (1.4) | 33.9 | (1.5) | 32.8 | (1.6) | 22.3 | (1.5) | 32.2 | (1.7) | 29.9 | (2.0) | 29.8 | (2.1) | 35.7 | (2.1) | 35.0 | (2.0) |
| 2003–2004 | 28.5 | (1.5) | 36.8 | (1.8) | 31.0 | (1.3) | 28.0 | (2.2) | 34.8 | (2.5) | 30.4 | (1.9) | 28.9 | (2.3) | 38.8 | (2.7) | 31.5 | (1.7) |
| 2005–2006 | 29.1 | (2.0) | 40.4 | (2.0) | 33.4 | (1.1) | 27.9 | (2.8) | 39.6 | (2.9) | 32.2 | (2.1) | 30.5 | (2.3) | 41.1 | (2.3) | 34.4 | (2.3) |
| 2007–2008 | 30.7 | (2.0) | 36.2 | (1.7) | 35.1 | (1.0) | 27.4 | (1.9) | 34.2 | (2.3) | 37.0 | (2.0) | 34.0 | (2.5) | 38.1 | (2.2) | 33.5 | (1.7) |
| 2009–2010 | 32.6 | (1.7) | 36.6 | (1.0) | 39.7 | (1.5) | 33.2 | (2.7) | 37.2 | (1.8) | 36.6 | (2.4) | 31.9 | (1.6) | 36.0 | (1.7) | 42.3 | (1.9) |
| 2011–2012 | 30.3 | (1.9) | 39.5 | (1.6) | 35.4 | (2.0) | 29.0 | (2.6) | 39.4 | (1.6) | 32.0 | (2.2) | 31.8 | (1.7) | 39.5 | (2.2) | 38.1 | (2.9) |
| 2013–2014 | 34.3 | (1.5) | 41.0 | (2.1) | 38.5 | (1.6) | 31.6 | (2.1) | 37.2 | (2.4) | 37.5 | (3.0) | 37.0 | (1.3) | 44.6 | (2.6) | 39.4 | (1.9) |
| 2015–2016 | 35.7 | (1.9) | 42.8 | (2.6) | 41.0 | (1.9) | 34.8 | (2.8) | 40.8 | (2.9) | 38.5 | (1.8) | 36.5 | (1.6) | 44.7 | (3.1) | 43.1 | (2.8) |
| 2017–2018 | 40.0 | (2.6) | 44.8 | (1.9) | 42.8 | (2.5) | 40.3 | (3.8) | 46.4 | (3.2) | 42.2 | (3.3) | 39.7 | (2.7) | 43.3 | (2.7) | 43.3 | (3.0) |
| August 2021–August 2023 | 35.5 | (3.0) | 46.4 | (1.8) | 38.9 | (1.5) | 34.3 | (2.8) | 45.4 | (1.9) | 38.0 | (2.3) | 36.8 | (3.6) | 47.4 | (2.1) | 39.6 | (1.9) |
NOTES: Obesity is body mass index at or above 30.0. Pregnant women are excluded from the analysis.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1988–1994, 1999–2018, and August 2021–August 2023.
| Survey period | Asian, non-Hispanic | Black, non-Hispanic | White, non-Hispanic | Hispanic | Mexican American |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | |||||
| 1988–1994 | – – – | 30.7 (0.9) | 21.6 (0.8) | – – – | 29.4 (0.9) |
| 1999–2000 | – – – | 39.7 (1.6) | 28.7 (1.8) | – – – | 34.3 (2.5) |
| 2001–2002 | – – – | 39.0 (1.8) | 30.2 (1.2) | – – – | 31.0 (2.1) |
| 2003–2004 | – – – | 45.0 (2.2) | 30.6 (1.3) | – – – | 36.8 (1.8) |
| 2005–2006 | – – – | 45.8 (1.7) | 32.9 (1.6) | – – – | 33.9 (1.0) |
| 2007–2008 | – – – | 43.9 (2.0) | 32.4 (1.8) | 38.7 (2.6) | 40.3 (3.1) |
| 2009–2010 | – – – | 49.5 (2.3) | 34.3 (1.2) | 39.1 (1.9) | 40.4 (1.8) |
| 2011–2012 | 10.8 (1.4) | 47.8 (1.6) | 32.6 (1.8) | 42.5 (1.7) | 46.6 (2.1) |
| 2013–2014 | 12.6 (1.3) | 48.4 (2.0) | 36.4 (1.1) | 42.6 (2.1) | 46.4 (2.1) |
| 2015–2016 | 12.7 (1.1) | 46.8 (2.3) | 37.9 (1.8) | 47.0 (2.1) | 49.4 (1.9) |
| 2017–2018 | 17.4 (1.3) | 49.6 (1.5) | 42.2 (2.5) | 44.8 (1.6) | 50.4 (2.0) |
| August 2021–August 2023 | 13.1 (3.2) | 52.1 (2.7) | 39.3 (1.8) | 44.0 (3.7) | 48.0 (5.0) |
| Men | |||||
| 1988–1994 | – – – | 21.1 (1.0) | 20.3 (0.9) | – – – | 23.9 (1.0) |
| 1999–2000 | – – – | 27.9 (1.6) | 27.3 (1.8) | – – – | 28.9 (1.9) |
| 2001–2002 | – – – | 27.9 (2.0) | 29.0 (1.3) | – – – | 25.9 (2.0) |
| 2003–2004 | – – – | 34.0 (3.5) | 31.1 (1.5) | – – – | 31.6 (2.5) |
| 2005–2006 | – – – | 37.0 (2.4) | 33.0 (2.2) | – – – | 27.0 (1.9) |
| 2007–2008 | – – – | 37.2 (2.5) | 31.9 (1.9) | 34.2 (3.0) | 35.8 (3.5) |
| 2009–2010 | – – – | 38.8 (2.3) | 36.2 (2.1) | 37.0 (2.2) | 38.6 (2.4) |
| 2011–2012 | 10.0 (1.6) | 37.1 (1.9) | 32.4 (1.3) | 40.1 (2.1) | 44.0 (2.6) |
| 2013–2014 | 12.6 (1.8) | 38.0 (2.5) | 34.7 (1.6) | 37.9 (2.8) | 42.2 (2.5) |
| 2015–2016 | 10.1 (1.3) | 36.9 (2.5) | 37.9 (2.7) | 43.1 (2.9) | 46.2 (2.6) |
| 2017–2018 | 17.5 (2.1) | 41.1 (2.2) | 44.7 (3.7) | 45.7 (1.8) | 51.1 (2.4) |
| August 2021–August 2023 | 17.8 (3.9) | †47.3 (4.4) | 38.3 (1.9) | 43.6 (3.0) | 44.2 (3.7) |
| Women | |||||
| 1988–1994 | – – – | 38.4 (1.4) | 22.9 (1.1) | – – – | 35.4 (1.4) |
| 1999–2000 | – – – | 49.5 (3.0) | 30.1 (2.1) | – – – | 39.5 (3.9) |
| 2001–2002 | – – – | 48.2 (2.7) | 31.2 (1.6) | – – – | 37.0 (3.2) |
| 2003–2004 | – – – | 53.9 (3.0) | 30.2 (2.1) | – – – | 42.3 (2.7) |
| 2005–2006 | – – – | 52.9 (2.1) | 32.9 (1.8) | – – – | 42.1 (2.8) |
| 2007–2008 | – – – | 49.4 (2.0) | 33.0 (1.8) | 43.0 (2.6) | 45.1 (3.1) |
| 2009–2010 | – – – | 58.5 (2.8) | 32.2 (1.4) | 41.4 (2.0) | 44.9 (1.6) |
| 2011–2012 | 11.4 (2.2) | 56.6 (2.1) | 32.8 (2.7) | 44.4 (2.1) | 49.2 (3.4) |
| 2013–2014 | 12.4 (2.1) | 57.2 (1.7) | 38.2 (1.6) | 46.9 (2.7) | 50.9 (3.1) |
| 2015–2016 | 14.8 (1.3) | 54.8 (2.3) | 38.0 (1.9) | 50.6 (2.1) | 52.3 (2.1) |
| 2017–2018 | 17.2 (1.3) | 56.9 (1.9) | 39.8 (2.9) | 43.7 (2.0) | 49.6 (4.0) |
| August 2021–August 2023 | *9.8 (3.1) | 56.0 (3.4) | 40.4 (2.0) | 44.6 (4.8) | *52.1 (7.0) |
– – – Data not available.
* Estimate has a confidence interval width between 5 and 30 and a relative confidence interval width > 130% and does not meet National Center for Health Statistics standards of reliability or precision. See: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_02/sr02_175.pdf.
† Please see Ogden et al. for more discussion about estimates by race and ethnicity using August 2021–August 2023 NHANES data: Ogden CL, Emmerich SD, Stierman B, Chen T-C, Simon AE, Freedman DS, et al. Obesity among children and adolescents in NHANES August 2021–August 2023: An examination of race/Hispanic origin subgroup estimates. Pediatr Obes. 2025 Oct;20(10):e70041. DOI: https://www.dx.doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.70041.
NOTES: Obesity is body mass index at or above 30.0. Age adjusted by the direct method to U.S. Census 2000 estimates using the age groups 20–39, 40–59, and 60 and older. Pregnant women are excluded from the analysis.
SOURCE: National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1988–1994, 1999–2018, and August 2021–August 2023.