US National Health

Adult Statistics

• More than half of US adults are overweight.
• Nearly one-quarter of US adults are obese.
• More than 60 percent of adults do not achieve the recommended amount of regular physical activity. About 25 percent of adults are not active at all.
• Approximately 300,000 deaths in the United States, each year, can be attributed to poor diet and inactivity.

Youth Statistics

• The percentage of young people who are overweight has doubled since 1980.
• Of children aged 5 to 15 who are overweight, 61% have one or more cardiovascular disease risk factors, and 27% have two or more.
• Fitness tests administered throughout California in 1999 found that only about one in five students in the fifth, seventh, and ninth grades met the standards for all health-related fitness components and that more than 40% did not meet the minimum fitness standard for cardio respiratory endurance.

How did we become a nation of obese and poorly nourished people?

• Overweight and obesity result from an energy imbalance. This involves eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity.
• Much of the calories in processed foods are considered "empty calories", devoid of any nutritive value, but still contributing to excess weight gain.
• Body weight is the result of genes, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture, and socioeconomic status. Behavior and environment play a large role causing people to be overweight and obese. These are the greatest areas for prevention and treatment actions.
  

Visit the Surgeon General's Page for the most current and complete list of statistics and obesity information.

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