The number of overweight or obese American adults has been climbing steadily for decades, reaching about 180 million as of 2016. Obesity and overweight are risk factors for a wide range of chronic diseases that together accounted for more than $1.5 trillion in healthcare costs and lost productivity, according to a 2018 study from the Milken Institute Center for Public Health. Highlights from the study follow.Â
Percentage of overweight, obese, and severely obese adults over time*
1960-1962: 45.8 percent
1976-1980: 48.5 percent
1999-2002: 70.0 percent
2003-2006: 72.1 percent
2011-2014: 76.7 percent
*Obese defined as BMI>=30, Severely Obese as BMI>=40
Number of overweight or obese adults, by age range
20-34: 39.8 million
35-44: 29.3 million
45-54: 32.5 million
55-64: 21.0 million
75+: 13.8 million
Top 10 diseases associated with obesity or overweight, by number of cases
#10 Congestive heart failure: 6.6 million
#9 Stroke: 8.8 million
#8 Coronary heart disease: 16.7 million
#7 Gallbladder disease: 20.1 million
#6 Asthma and COPD: 21.8 million
Top 10 diseases associated with obesity or overweight, by number of cases, continued
#5 Type 2 diabetes: 26.6 million
#4 Chronic back pain: 31.5 million
#3 Osteoarthritis: 55.6 million
#2 Hypertension: 78.6 million
#1 Dyslipidemia: 94.7 million
Ten costliest conditions resulting from overweight and obesity**
#10 Asthma and COPD: $26.8 million
#9 Dyslipidemia: $28.6 million
#8 Stroke: $28.7 million
#7 Gallbladder disease: $54.3 million
#6 Coronary heart disease: $62.0 million
**Totals of direct and indirect costs
Ten costliest conditions resulting from overweight and obesity, continued**
#5 Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia: $106.2 million
#4 Chronic back pain: $255.8 million
#3 Osteoarthritis: $301.8 million
#2 Type 2 diabetes: $335.2 million
#1 Hypertension: $461.5 million
*All figures are for 2016, unless otherwise noted
**Totals of direct and indirect costs
