Obesity Rates Doubled Among Adults And Children In The United States Between 1988 & 2023

The prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among adults and children increased significantly between the late 1980s and 2023, according to two recent reports. Among adults aged 20 and older, obesity rates nearly doubled from 22.9% to 40.3%, and severe obesity rates more than tripled, from 2.8% to 9.7%. Among children aged 2 to 19 years, obesity more than doubled from 10% in 1988 to 21.0% in 2023, and severe obesity increased from 2.6% to 7.0%.

The increase in obesity and severe obesity between 1988 and 2023 affected all age groups.

Children ages . . .