Adult obesity prevalence remains high in the U.S, according to the latest CDC data.
Data from 2023 showed that 23 states now have obesity rates exceeding 35%, a significant rise compared to 2013 when no states had rates that high, according to a Sept. 12 news release from the agency. On a national scale, at least 20% of adults in every state live with obesity.
Karen Hacker, MD, director of the CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, emphasized the importance of creating healthier communities to curb obesity, especially among children.
Obesity disproportionately affects some racial and ethnic groups with Black, Hispanic and American Indian or Alaska Native adults facing higher rates of obesity in many states, the release said.
The CDC said prevention and treatment strategies include FDA-approved medications, which are being implemented through programs aimed at increasing access to healthy lifestyles.