Obesity in adults — all countries

Obesity in adults — United States

Obesity in adults in the United States in 2024 — 41%. Ranked 181 in the world out of 199. Since 1980, the indicator has risen by 28.9 pp.

2024 41% +0.3 pp vs 2023
World rank 181of 199
Period maximum 41%2024
Period minimum 12.1%1980

Trend over time

1980–2024 · % of adults

Obesity in adults — United States, 1980–2024020406019801985199019952000200520102015202020241980: 12.1%1981: 12.7%1982: 13.3%1983: 13.9%1984: 14.5%1985: 15.2%1986: 15.8%1987: 16.5%1988: 17.2%1989: 18%1990: 18.7%1991: 19.5%1992: 20.3%1993: 21.1%1994: 21.9%1995: 22.8%1996: 23.7%1997: 24.6%1998: 25.6%1999: 26.5%2000: 27.5%2001: 28.4%2002: 29.4%2003: 30.3%2004: 31.3%2005: 32.1%2006: 33%2007: 33.8%2008: 34.5%2009: 35.2%2010: 35.8%2011: 36.4%2012: 36.9%2013: 37.3%2014: 37.8%2015: 38.2%2016: 38.6%2017: 39%2018: 39.3%2019: 39.6%2020: 39.9%2021: 40.2%2022: 40.4%2023: 40.7%2024: 41%
Change over the period: +28.9 pp Annual average: 0.66 pp

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United States

United States 41%
World computed 16.1%
North America computed 39.3%
Northern America computed 39.3%
High-income countries computed 24.8%
Obesity in adults — United States, by year United States All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2024 41 +0.3 pp
2023 40.7 +0.3 pp
2022 40.4 +0.3 pp
2021 40.2 +0.3 pp
2020 39.9 +0.3 pp
2019 39.6 +0.3 pp
2018 39.3 +0.3 pp
2017 39 +0.4 pp
2016 38.6 +0.4 pp
2015 38.2 +0.4 pp
2014 37.8 +0.4 pp
2013 37.3 +0.5 pp
2012 36.9 +0.5 pp
2011 36.4 +0.6 pp
2010 35.8 +0.6 pp
2009 35.2 +0.7 pp
2008 34.5 +0.8 pp
2007 33.8 +0.8 pp
2006 33 +0.8 pp
2005 32.1 +0.9 pp
2004 31.3 +0.9 pp
2003 30.3 +0.9 pp
2002 29.4 +1 pp
2001 28.4 +1 pp
2000 27.5 +1 pp
1999 26.5 +0.9 pp
1998 25.6 +0.9 pp
1997 24.6 +0.9 pp
1996 23.7 +0.9 pp
1995 22.8 +0.9 pp
1994 21.9 +0.9 pp
1993 21.1 +0.8 pp
1992 20.3 +0.8 pp
1991 19.5 +0.8 pp
1990 18.7 +0.7 pp
1989 18 +0.7 pp
1988 17.2 +0.7 pp
1987 16.5 +0.7 pp
1986 15.8 +0.7 pp
1985 15.2 +0.7 pp
1984 14.5 +0.6 pp
1983 13.9 +0.6 pp
1982 13.3 +0.6 pp
1981 12.7 +0.6 pp
1980 12.1

Northern America, 2024

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of people aged 18 and over with a body mass index of 30 kg/m² and above. The series has been kept since 1980 and shows one of the fastest changes in the health of populations in the whole history of observation: in most countries the share has grown two- to threefold. The top of the ranking is held not by rich countries, as one might expect, but by the islands of Oceania and the Persian Gulf, where the shift to purchased food happened within one generation.

Important: The aggregate by country group is weighted by the whole population rather than the adult one: the share of adults differs between countries by a factor of about 1.5, so young countries get a slightly larger weight than they should.

Source: Global Health Observatory (WHO), license CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.