Overweight and obesity are problems across all geographic regions and all segments of the population. In 1991, only four states had obesity rates of 15 percent or more. Less than 10 years later, 49 states had obesity rates of 15 percent or more and 22 had rates of 20 percent or greater. Although some disparities exist by age, gender, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased across all of these groups since 1980.
This Issue Brief was prepared for The Commonwealth Fund/John F. Kennedy School of Government Bipartisan Congressional Health Policy Conference, January 15–17, 2004.