Share of women who are overweight or obese in United States
United States: Share of women who are overweight or obese was 69.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of women who are overweight or obese in United States, 1980–2024
Source: World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of women who are overweight or obese in United States is 69.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.6% on the previous year and up 6.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of women who are overweight or obese in United States peaked at 69.9% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 35.8%, in 1980.
United States ranks 51st of 199 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 45 years of available data.
Share of women who are overweight or obese in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 35.8% | — |
| 1981 | 36.8% | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 37.8% | +2.7% |
| 1983 | 38.7% | +2.6% |
| 1984 | 39.7% | +2.6% |
| 1985 | 40.7% | +2.5% |
| 1986 | 41.7% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 42.7% | +2.4% |
| 1988 | 43.7% | +2.3% |
| 1989 | 44.7% | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 45.7% | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 46.8% | +2.2% |
| 1992 | 47.8% | +2.2% |
| 1993 | 48.8% | +2.1% |
| 1994 | 49.8% | +2.1% |
| 1995 | 50.8% | +2.0% |
| 1996 | 51.8% | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 52.9% | +2.0% |
| 1998 | 53.9% | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 54.8% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 55.8% | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 56.7% | +1.7% |
| 2002 | 57.6% | +1.6% |
| 2003 | 58.5% | +1.5% |
| 2004 | 59.2% | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 60.0% | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 60.7% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 61.5% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 62.1% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 62.8% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 63.4% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 64.0% | +0.9% |
| 2012 | 64.5% | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 65.0% | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 65.5% | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 66.0% | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 66.5% | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 67.0% | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 67.5% | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 67.9% | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 68.3% | +0.6% |
| 2021 | 68.7% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 69.1% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 69.5% | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 69.9% | +0.6% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 69.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 55.5%, 1.3× the median. (66 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 40.3% | 35.8% | 44.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 50.3% | 45.7% | 54.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.5% | 55.8% | 62.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 65.7% | 63.4% | 67.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 69.1% | 68.3% | 69.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More gender data for United States
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 57,835 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.4626 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 297,814 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 297,814 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.6312 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 1.79 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 1.88 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 1.80 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 1.89 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 1.83 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of women who are overweight or obese in United States?
- Share of women who are overweight or obese in United States was 69.9% in 2024, according to World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 69.9% in 2024.
- What is the lowest share of women who are overweight or obese recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.8% in 1980.
- How does United States rank for share of women who are overweight or obese?
- United States ranks 51st out of 199 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of women who are overweight or obese rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization – Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of women who are overweight or obese. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
A person is defined as overweight if they have a body-mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 25. BMI is a person's weight in kilograms divided by his height in meters squared.