Obesity Overview
Obesity Trends Among U.S. Adults, 2008 State Map | 2010 State Obestiy Rates | Prevalence of Overweight Among Children and Adolescents
State-Level Estimated Annual Medical Costs of Obesity | Obesity and Disease
Obesity – Health and Economic Costs
Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. More than one-third of U.S. adults—more than 72 million people—and 16 percent of U.S. children are obese. Annual obesity-attributable U.S. medical expenses were estimated at $147 billion in 2008. Taxpayers fund about half of this through Medicaid and Medicare.
Obesity – County-Level Data
In November 2009, the CDC released the first U.S. county-level obesity and diabetes data. County-level obesity prevalence was highly correlated with diabetes prevalence. Better local estimates of obesity and diabetes prevalence can:
- Contribute to understanding and awareness of obesity as a public health problem in state legislative districts.
- Help policymakers identify where community supports and clinical services are most needed and target responses to specific communities or high-risk populations.
Legislative Policy Options for Obesity Prevention and Control
The causes of obesity are complex, numerous, and operate at social, economic, environmental and individual levels. Communities with poor access to healthy foods and safe opportunities for physical activity have the highest rates of obesity. Policy options in community, worksite, medical care, child care and school settings have helped increase healthy choices for food and physical activity, including policies that:
- Increase availability of healthy foods that meet quality nutrition standards and provide opportunity for quality physical activity in schools and licensed child care facilities.
- Provide economic development incentives to encourage grocery stores to locate in underserved communities and incentives to increase production of healthy foods locally.
- Encourage schools and local governments to enter into joint use agreements to increase community access to indoor and outdoor recreation facilities.
- Support preventive lifestyle interventions within the health care system, such as weight management.
- Encourage employer-based worksite obesity prevention and control programs.
- Promote active modes of transportation, such as walking and biking, in community planning.
Sources: CDC, Obesity Halting the Epidemic by Making Health Easier, At A Glance 2009; CDC, New Community Recommendations Show Ways to Reduce Burden, July 27, 2009; NCSL staff research.
Obesity* Trends Among U.S. Adults, 2008
(*BMI 30 or higher, or ~30 lbs overweight for 5' 4" person)
Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, MMWR 2007
To view a CDC powerpoint presentation on obesity trends over the last ten years, click here.
2010 State Obesity Rates
| 2010 State Obesity Rates |
| State |
% |
State |
% |
State |
% |
State |
% |
|
| Alabama |
32.2 |
Illinois |
28.2 |
Montana |
23.0 |
Rhode Island |
25.5 |
|
| Alaska |
24.5 |
Indiana |
29.6 |
Nebraska |
26.9 |
South Carolina |
31.5 |
|
| Arizona |
24.3 |
Iowa |
28.4 |
Nevada |
22.4 |
South Dakota |
27.3 |
|
| Arkansas |
30.1 |
Kansas |
29.4 |
New Hampshire |
25.0 |
Tennessee |
30.8 |
|
| California |
24.0 |
Kentucky |
31.3 |
New Jersey |
23.8 |
Texas |
31.0 |
|
| Colorado |
21.0 |
Louisiana |
31.0 |
New Mexico |
25.1 |
Utah |
22.5 |
|
| Connecticut |
22.5 |
Maine |
26.8 |
New York |
23.9 |
Vermont |
23.2 |
|
| Delaware |
28.0 |
Maryland |
27.1 |
North Carolina |
27.8 |
Virginia |
26.0 |
|
| Washington DC |
22.2 |
Massachusetts |
23.0 |
North Dakota |
27.2 |
Washington |
25.5 |
|
| Florida |
26.6 |
Michigan |
30.9 |
Ohio |
29.2 |
West Virginia |
32.5 |
|
| Georgia |
29.6 |
Minnesota |
24.8 |
Oklahoma |
30.4 |
Wisconsin |
26.3 |
|
| Hawaii |
22.7 |
Mississippi |
34.0 |
Oregon |
26.8 |
Wyoming |
25.1 |
|
| Idaho |
26.5 |
Missouri |
30.5 |
Pennsylvania |
28.6 |
|
|
|
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. "Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Data and Statistics". 2010 State Obesity Rates.
Prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents ages 2-19 years
|
Age (years)1
|
1963-65
1966-702
|
1971-74
|
1976-80
|
1988-94
|
1999-2000
|
2001-02
|
2003-04
|
|
2-5
|
-
|
5%
|
5%
|
7.2%
|
10.3%
|
10.6%
|
13.9%
|
|
6-11
|
4.2%
|
4%
|
6.5%
|
11.3%
|
15.1%
|
16.3%
|
18.8%
|
|
12-19
|
4.6%
|
6.1%
|
5%
|
10.5%
|
14.8%
|
16.7%
|
17.4%
|
1Excludes pregnant women starting with 1971-74. Pregnancy status not available for 1963-65 and 1966-70.
2Data for 1963-65 are for children 6-11 years of age; data for 1966-70 are for adolescents 12-17 years of age, not 12-19 years.
Source: Center for Disease Control and Prevention, NHANES
State-Level Estimated Annual Medical Costs of Obesity
Estimated Adult Obesity-Attributable Percentages and Expenditures, by State (1998–2000)
|
State
|
(Millions $)
|
|
Alabama
|
$1320
|
|
Alaska
|
$195
|
|
Arizona
|
$752
|
|
Arkansas
|
$663
|
|
California
|
$7675
|
|
Colorado
|
$874
|
|
Connecticut
|
$856
|
|
Delaware
|
$207
|
|
District of Columbia
|
$372
|
|
Florida
|
$3987
|
|
Georgia
|
$2133
|
|
Hawaii
|
$290
|
|
Idaho
|
$227
|
|
Illinois
|
$3439
|
|
Indiana
|
$1637
|
|
Iowa
|
$783
|
|
Kansas
|
$657
|
|
Kentucky
|
$1163
|
|
Louisiana
|
$1373
|
|
Maine
|
$357
|
|
Maryland
|
$1533
|
|
Massachusetts
|
$1822
|
|
Michigan
|
$2931
|
|
Minnesota
|
$1307
|
|
Mississippi
|
$757
|
|
Missouri
|
$1636
|
|
Montana
|
$175
|
|
Nebraska
|
$454
|
|
Nevada
|
$337
|
|
New Hampshire
|
$302
|
|
New Jersey
|
$2342
|
|
New Mexico
|
$324
|
|
New York
|
$6080
|
|
North Carolina
|
$2138
|
|
North Dakota
|
$209
|
|
Oklahoma
|
$854
|
|
Ohio
|
$3304
|
|
Oregon
|
$781
|
|
Pennsylvania
|
$4138
|
|
Puerto Rico
|
|
|
Rhode Island
|
$305
|
|
South Carolina
|
$1060
|
|
South Dakota
|
$195
|
|
Tennessee
|
$1840
|
|
Texas
|
$5340
|
|
Utah
|
$393
|
|
Vermont
|
$141
|
|
Virginia
|
$1641
|
|
Washington
|
$1330
|
|
West Virginia
|
$588
|
|
Wisconsin
|
$1486
|
|
Wyoming
|
$87
|
|
Total
|
$75,051
|
Source: Finkelstein, Fiebelkorn, and Wang, 2004.
References
(NHANES) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2000
Finkelstein, EA, Fiebelkorn, IC, Wang, G. National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: How much, and who’s paying? Health Affairs 2003;W3;219–226.
Finkelstein, EA, Fiebelkorn, IC, Wang, G. State-level estimates of annual medical expenditures attributable to obesity. Obesity Research 2004;12(1):18–24.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General's call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity. [Rockville, MD]: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, [2001]. Available from: US GPO, Washington. Wolf AM, Colditz GA. Current estimates of the economic cost of obesity in the United States. Obesity Research.1998;6(2):97–106. Wolf, A. What is the economic case for treating obesity? Obesity Research. 1998;6(suppl)2S–7S.
Overweight and obese individuals are at increased risk for many diseases and health chronic conditions, including the following:
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
Type 2 diabetes
Heart disease
Stroke
Gallbladder disease
Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
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