U.S. Obesity Rate Rises to 41 Percent From 1999 to 2023

Obesity prevalence among adults and youth in the U.S. increased between 1999 and 2023, according to research published Tuesday by the American Heart Association. The study tracked nearly 8,700 participants and recorded a rise in overall obesity from 30 percent to 41 percent.

Abdominal obesity, defined as fat concentrated around the midsection, increased from 48 percent to 61 percent during the same span. In 2023, 40 percent of adults and 20 percent of people under age 20 met the criteria for obesity. Severe obesity rose 50 percent across all groups, while abdominal obesity among youth increased threefold.

Women showed higher rates of severe and abdominal obesity, which researchers linked to hormonal differences. The analysis relied on body mass index, a height-and-weight calculation established in the 1830s that some recent studies suggest may understate obesity levels.

The findings align with earlier projections that more than 60 percent of Americans could have obesity by 2050. A separate national poll indicated record use of GLP-1 weight-loss medications, though these drugs were still new in 2023. Researchers cited ultraprocessed diets, reduced physical activity, mental health, sleep patterns, and social determinants such as access to nutritious food and safe exercise spaces as contributing elements.

A Trump administration pilot program will provide certain Medicare patients access to selected weight-loss drugs for $50 per month through next year.