Obesity remains high in the U.S., but more states are showing progress, a new report finds

For the first time in more than a decade, the number of states with obesity rates of 35% or higher decreased, an encouraging sign that America’s overweight epidemic may be improving. But cuts to federal workers and programs that address chronic disease could jeopardize that progress, according to a new report released Thursday.

Nineteen states had obesity rates of 35% or higher in 2024, down from 23 states the previous year, according to an analysis of the latest data collected by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC data was analyzed by the nonprofit group Trust for America’s Health.

The group’s analysis follows a CDC report last year that found overall rates of obesity in the U.S. are high but steady, affecting about 40% of the population.

Although the decline is positive, “it’s too soon to call it a trend,” said Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, President and CEO of TFAH

And with recent federal funding cuts, staff layoffs and eliminated programs, “even that potential progress is at risk,” Gracia said.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in an email that the administration is “encouraged by new data showing progress in the fight against obesity.”

“We are restructuring public health programs to eliminate waste, reduce bureaucracy and redirect resources toward real prevention,” said spokesman Andrew Nixon.

The latest report analyzes data from the CDC’s 2024 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which uses annual telephone surveys to collect data on health behaviors and chronic conditions in US states and territories.

It showed that 19 states had obesity rates of 35% or more of adults, 22 states had obesity rates between 30% and 35%, and nine states had obesity rates below 30%. Rates varied from a low of 25% in Colorado to over 40% in West Virginia.

Between 2023 and 2024, no state saw a statistically significant increase or decrease in obesity rates, after 18 states saw significant increases in the previous five years, the report found.

Before 2013, no state had an adult obesity rate of 35% or higher, by 2019, a dozen states had higher rates — and the number continues to rise.

In adults, obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or more. Body mass index is a calculation based on height and weight. Obesity is a chronic disease associated with serious health problems including diabetes, stroke, cancer and heart disease.

It’s not exactly clear what might be causing the apparent improvement in obesity. Widespread use of drugs like Wegovi and Zepbound — which target appetite and slow digestion — may be starting to show up in reported data, said Aviva Musicas, science director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, an advocacy group. Increased support for nutrition assistance programs during the COVID-19 pandemic may also be a factor, he suggested.

The report details a wide range of federal, state and local efforts that focus on improving nutrition and increasing physical activity, said Solveig Cunningham, an Emory University global health expert who specializes in obesity.

“I think the report will argue that some of these interventions may actually be successful,” said Cunningham, who was not involved in the research. “It would suggest that maybe there are ways that we can prevent obesity at the population level, which would be a really, really big deal.”

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