According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2020:
- About 73.6% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese.
- More specifically, about 42.4% of adults in the United States are obese (with a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or higher).
- Obesity can lead to many health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer.
- The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion in 2008.
- Childhood obesity is also a major concern, with about 19.3% of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years being obese.