General Information on Obesity in the United States - Obesity Statistics

The number of people suffering from obesity in the United States has grown almost exponentially over the past few decades, which explains why there are so stories about the obesity problem in this country. What follows are some statistics that detail the rise in obesity in the United States and how it has come to affect more and more people over time.

In the early 1960's a study performed showed the percentage of American's that were obese was at a mere 13 percent. Some 40 years later at the turn of the century, that number had risen to a staggering 31 percent, proving that obesity is becoming a much more common problem.

Obesity is not something to be taken lightly. In fact, the Surgeon General of the United States estimates that more than 300,000 deaths every year are directly related to obesity. This is because obesity puts a great deal of strain on the body's organs and functions, and causes overall poor health. The risk of heart disease in an obese person is higher, increasing the risk of heart attack. The risk of diabetes and diabetic related diseases grows. Overall, many of the health problems that an obese person has can be directly correlated to their weight.

While the United States has a very large population, even when you consider the number of Americans that are obese, the percentage is staggering. More than 3.8 million people in the United States weigh more than 300 pounds. Almost half a million Americans weight 400 pounds or more! These figures would have been unheard of years ago, and sadly, these devastating numbers just continue to rise as time goes on.

With 63 percent of all American adults having a Body Mass Index that exceeds 25.0, and many of them having a BMI that surpassed 30.0, it is no wonder that we have so many deaths that are related to a person being obese. And sadly, these statistics can now be seen in children as well, with a very higher percentage of children between the ages of 2 and 19 falling into the obesity category as well.

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