Obesity Stats

Obesity has become a huge problem. It affects millions around the world, and an alarming number of people are becoming obese. Read these facts on obesity, and remind yourself and others why it's so important to stay fit and healthy.

Fact 1

Obesity is measured by BMI, which stands for Body Mass Index. The number is determined by weight and height. A person is considered obese if his or her BMI is over 30; extreme obesity is when one’s BMI is over 40.

Fact 2

An estimated 17% of adolescents age 2-19 are overweight, according to a 2003-04 study.

Fact 3

For 2-5 years old, the number of those overweight increased from 7.2 to 13.9% between 1988-94 and 2003-04.

Fact 4

For 6-11 year olds, the percentage of overweight children increased from 11 to 17% from 1988-94 to 2003-04.

Fact 5

32.2% of adults in the U.S. were obese in a 2003-04 study. That’s over 66 million people.

Fact 6

Nearly 5% of adults were extremely obese.

Fact 7

In 2003-04, 30% of non-Hispanic white adults, 45% of non-Hispanic black adults, and 36.8% of Mexican American adults were obese.

Fact 8

Obesity increases the risk of type II diabetes, hypertension, stroke, some cancers, and other harmful conditions, which are some of the leading causes of death in the U.S.

Fact 9

The U.S. has the highest percent of obese people per population among developed nations.

Fact 10

Non-institutionalized people over 20 years old who were either overweight or obese make up 66.3% of the U.S. population.

Sources:

Fact 1-10: Center for Disease Control – www.cdc.gov