The map above reveals the overweight portion of the inhabitants in every state. Credit score: AP Digital Embed
For the primary time in additional than a decade, the variety of states with charges of weight problems of 35% or extra dropped, an encouraging signal that America’s epidemic of extra weight is likely to be enhancing. However cuts to federal employees and applications that deal with persistent illness might endanger that progress, in line with a brand new report launched Thursday.
Nineteen states had weight problems charges of 35% or greater in 2024, down from 23 states the yr earlier than, in line with an evaluation of the newest information collected by the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. The CDC information was analyzed by the nonprofit group Belief for America’s Well being.
The group’s evaluation follows a CDC report final yr that discovered that the general price of weight problems within the U.S. is excessive however holding regular, affecting about 40% of the inhabitants.
Whereas the decline is constructive, “it’s too soon to call it a trend,” stated Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, president and chief govt for TFAH.
And with latest federal funding cuts, employees layoffs and eradicated applications, “this potential progress is also at risk,” Gracia stated.
“We are restructuring public health programs to eliminate waste, reduce bureaucracy, and redirect resources toward real prevention,” stated spokesman Andrew Nixon.
The newest report analyzed information from the CDC’s 2024 Behavioral Threat Issue Surveillance System, which makes use of annual phone surveys to gather information on well being behaviors and persistent situations in U.S. states and territories.
It confirmed that 19 states had weight problems charges amongst adults of 35% or greater, 22 states had charges between 30% and 35% and 9 states had weight problems charges of beneath 30%. The charges different from a low of 25% in Colorado to a excessive of greater than 40% in West Virginia.
Between 2023 and 2024, no state had statistically important will increase or decreases of their weight problems charges, after 18 states noticed important will increase within the earlier 5 years, the report discovered.
Earlier than 2013, no state had an grownup weight problems prevalence at or above 35%, By 2019, a dozen states had charges that prime—and the quantity continued to climb.
In adults, weight problems is outlined as having a physique mass index of 30 or greater. Physique mass index is a calculation primarily based on peak and weight. Weight problems is a persistent illness linked to a number of great well being issues together with diabetes, stroke, most cancers and coronary heart illness.
It is not clear precisely what could also be driving the obvious enhancements in weight problems. Wider use of medicine comparable to Wegovy and Zepbound—which goal urge for food and gradual digestion—may very well be beginning to present up in reported information, stated Aviva Musicus, a science director for the Middle for Science within the Public Curiosity, an advocacy group. Elevated assist for vitamin help applications through the COVID-19 pandemic may also be an element, she instructed.
The report additionally particulars a broad vary of federal, state and native efforts that concentrate on enhancing vitamin and boosting bodily exercise, stated Solveig Cunningham, an Emory College world well being knowledgeable who focuses on weight problems.
“I think the report would argue that some of these interventions may actually be successful,” stated Cunningham, who was not concerned with the analysis. “That would suggest that there are possibly ways in which we could prevent obesity at the population level, which would be a really, really big deal.”
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Weight problems stays excessive within the US., however extra states are exhibiting progress, a brand new report finds (2025, October 16)
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