After nearly two decades of climbing obesity rates, the U.S. is reporting its highest-ever numbers.
Roughly four in 10 Americans are now obese, the CDC reported late last week in its most recent statistics on the countrywide epidemic. The report stems from data collected between 2015 and 2016.
The rate of obesity in American adults is presently 39.8 percent, according to the CDC, up from 37.7 percent in 2013-2014. Youth rates also jumped, reaching 18.5 percent.
The highest obesity rates were noted in Hispanic and black women, at 51 percent and 55 percent, respectively. Thirty-eight percent of white women were obese, and 15 percent of Asian women fell into the category. It was much more likely that adults were obese—43 percent, in fact—than 20- and 30-somethings, whose population was 36 percent obese, according to the latest numbers.
Obesity in adults is defined as a body mass index of 30 or higher and is associated with health risks like diabetes, hypertension and heart disease.
Read the full CDC report here:
After graduating from Indiana University-Bloomington with a bachelor’s in journalism, Anicka joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering cardiology. Close to her heart is long-form journalism, Pilot G-2 pens, dark chocolate and her dog Harper Lee.