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News
A new report finds 21 states now have adult obesity rates at or above 35% — up from 19 states last year and zero in 2012. While adult rates have slightly dipped, youth obesity is climbing, and experts are sounding the alarm over federal budget cuts threatening prevention programs. GLP-1s are helping, but access and affordability remain major barriers.
A new report from Trust for America's Health (TFAH) paints a mixed picture of the U.S. obesity landscape. Twenty-one states now have adult obesity rates at or above 35% — up from 19 in 2024 and zero in 2012. Nationally, 40.3% of adults have obesity, a modest 5% drop from 2017–2018 peaks. But youth obesity is heading the other way, rising 9% to affect 21.1% of children and adolescents aged 2–19.
Experts caution against reading the adult stabilization as a win. Obesity remains a complex, chronic condition shaped by biology, food access, socioeconomic factors, and the built environment. GLP-1 medications are being hailed as game-changers, but coverage gaps persist — only 13 state Medicaid programs cover GLP-1s for obesity treatment, and high out-of-pocket costs make sustained treatment unattainable for many.
Why it matters: Federal budget cuts to nutrition and prevention programs — including reduced SNAP access — threaten to reverse even modest gains. Clinicians and policymakers alike are urging a multi-pronged approach: expanded treatment access, better food security, and updated surveillance systems to track real-time progress.
