10 states with the highest obesity rates in 2025

The State of Obesity 2025: Better Policies for a Healthier America report from Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), based on 2024 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC's) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), shows that 19 states had adult obesity rates at or above 35%, down from 23 a year ago — the first recorded decrease at that level.

Still, the organization cautions that “this progress is limited and at risk” due to proposed cuts to federal programs supporting nutrition and chronic-disease prevention. The reductions would affect the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, which funds many state and local obesity-prevention initiatives.

“Structural barriers to healthy eating and physical activity need continued policy attention and investment,” said J. Nadine Gracia, M.D., MSCE, president and CEO of TFAH.

“It is vital that government and other sectors invest in – not cut – proven programs that support good nutrition and physical activity and ensure they reach all communities."

According to the report, about 4 in 10 U.S. adults have obesity. Rates are highest among Black (49.9%) and Hispanic (45.6%) adults, followed by White (41.4%) and Asian (16.1%) adults, based on 2017–2020 NHANES data cited in the report. People in rural areas and those with lower income or education levels are more likely to have obesity, reflecting economic barriers to healthy food and safe places for physical activity.

Childhood obesity remains a major concern: just over 21% of children and adolescents ages 2–19 have obesity, according to 2021–2023 NHANES data, a rate that has more than tripled since the 1970s.

TFAH’s policy recommendations include:

• Retaining and strengthening CDC chronic-disease-prevention programs.
• Reversing proposed cuts to SNAP and WIC while improving the nutritional quality of available foods.
• Implementing front-of-package nutrition labels to help consumers make informed choices.
• Preserving access to care for obesity prevention and treatment through Medicaid and marketplace subsidies.
• Addressing structural drivers of disparities, including affordability of healthy foods and access to safe spaces for exercise.

TFAH warns that without sustained investment in prevention, health equity and community programs, states with the highest obesity levels could see rates rise further.

Note: The BRFSS report notes a lack of data for Tennessee, so it is excluded from these rankings.