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Adult

According to the most recent Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, adult obesity rates now exceed 35% in 23 states. West Virginia has the highest adult obesity rate at 41.2% and the District of Columbia (D.C.) has the lowest at 23.5%. Between 2022 and 2023, three states experienced statistically significant increases in their adult obesity rate: Alaska, Arkansas, and Oregon. No state experienced a decline.

Fast Facts

23
States have adult obesity rates exceeding 35%.
41.2%
The adult obesity rate in West Virginia, which has the highest rate.
23.5%
The adult obesity rate in D.C., which has the lowest rate.
MEMAMIMTNVNJNYNCOHPARITNTXUTWAWIMDALAKAZARCACOCTDEDCFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMNMSMONENHNMNDOKORSCSDVTVAWVWYDCMDDENJRICTMANHVT
Rank
State
Obesity Rate
Trend 1990 - 2023
1 West Virginia
41.2%
2 Mississippi
40.1%
3 Arkansas
40.0%
4 Louisiana
39.9%
5 Alabama
39.2%
6 Oklahoma
38.7%
7 Indiana
37.8%
7 Iowa
37.8%
8 Tennessee
37.6%
9 Nebraska
36.6%
10 Ohio
36.4%
11 Illinois
36.0%
11 South Carolina
36.0%
11 South Dakota
36.0%
12 Kansas
35.9%
12 Wisconsin
35.9%
13 Delaware
35.7%
14 North Dakota
35.6%
15 Michigan
35.4%
16 Missouri
35.3%
16 New Mexico
35.3%
17 Alaska
35.2%
18 Georgia
35.0%
19 Texas
34.4%
20 Virginia
34.3%
21 Maryland
34.1%
22 North Carolina
34.0%
23 Oregon
33.6%
24 Minnesota
33.3%
24 Wyoming
33.3%
25 New Hampshire
32.8%
26 Maine
32.6%
27 Arizona
31.9%
28 Rhode Island
31.6%
29 Idaho
31.0%
30 Nevada
30.8%
31 Washington
30.6%
32 Montana
30.5%
33 Utah
30.2%
34 Florida
30.1%
35 Connecticut
29.4%
36 New Jersey
28.9%
37 Vermont
28.8%
38 New York
28.0%
39 California
27.7%
40 Massachusetts
27.4%
41 Hawaii
26.1%
42 Colorado
24.9%
43 District of Columbia
23.5%
Key:
0 - 9.9%
10 - 14.9%
15 - 19.9%
20 - 24.9%
25 - 29.9%
30 - 34.9%
35%+

About this Data

These data come from the 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). A change in methodology makes direct comparisons to data collected prior to 2011 difficult.

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