As per the 20th annual report from Trust for America's Health (TFAH), adult obesity rates in the United States are on an upward trajectory, frequently attributed to disparities in the environment, economy, and healthcare, as indicated by TFAH. J. Nadine Gracia, President and CEO of Trust for America's Health, emphasizes that addressing the obesity crisis requires recognizing its multifaceted nature, which includes economic, health, and environmental disparities, and calls for equitable access to healthy food and physical activity as a fundamental solution.
According to TFAH's 20th annual report, titled 'State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America,' an examination of the most recent data from the CDC's Behavioral Factor Surveillance System revealed that in 2022, the adult obesity rate in the United States had reached or exceeded 35% in 22 states. This marked an increase from the 19 states that reported such high rates the previous year. Notably, TFAH's report underscores that a decade ago, there were no states with adult obesity rates at or above the 35% threshold, highlighting a trend of rising obesity rates over the years. The states reporting the highest rates of adult obesity are West Virginia (41%), Louisiana (40.1%), Oklahoma (40%), and Mississippi (39.5%). Meanwhile, the states with the lowest adult obesity rates are the District of Columbia (24.3%), Colorado (25%), and Hawaii (25.9%).
TFAH's report utilized summarized data from the 2017-2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in order to track national obesity trends. According to the data, obesity rates have surged across all demographic groups over the past two decades, with certain communities of color facing the most pronounced increases. Black adults have the highest level of adult obesity at 49.9%, followed by Hispanic adults with an obesity rate of 45.6%, and white adults at 41.4%. Additionally, the report highlights that obesity rates are higher in rural areas compared to urban and suburban areas, underscoring the impact of structural barriers to healthy eating and limited opportunities for physical activity in these regions.
TFAH also reported rising obesity rates among children and adolescents, with nearly 20% of children ages 2 to 19 struggling with obesity. According to TFAH, adolescent obesity rates have tripled since the mid-1970s. Since TFAH's first report in 2004, national adult obesity has increased by 37% and national adolescent obesity rates have increased by 42%. The significant rise in obesity rates underscores that obesity is a systemic, population-wide problem influenced by societal and environmental factors that often go beyond individual decisions. TFAH's conclusion is that resolving the nation's obesity crisis will necessitate addressing economic and structural elements that affect people's residential locations, access to jobs, transportation, healthcare, affordability of nutritious food, and opportunities for physical activity.
