Obesity maps and tables on this page show state-by-state childhood obesity rates for 10-17 year olds for 2003-2011 based on data from the National Survey of Children’s Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overall obesity rates remain high and prevalence among 2-19 year olds and adults in the United States has not changed significantly between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012. For very young children, however, data from CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) published in the Feb. 25, 2014 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association do show a decline in obesity prevalence in the 2-to-5-year-old age group from nearly 14 percent in 2003-2004, to just over 12 percent in 2009-2010, to just over 8 percent in 2011-2012.

NCSL annually reports on policy options to address childhood obesity.

Percentage of obese children by state State Overweight (85th to 94th percentile) % Obese (95th percentile or above) % Alabama 16.4 18.6 Alaska 15.9 14.0 Arizona 16.9 19.8 Arkansas 14.0 20.0 California 15.3 15.1 Colorado 12.2 10.9 Connecticut 14.7 15.0 Delaware 15.1 16.9 District of Columbia 13.6 21.4 Florida 14.1 13.4 Georgia 18.5 16.5 Hawaii 15.9 11.5 Idaho 17.1 10.6 Illinois 14.3 19.3 Indiana 17.1 14.3 Iowa 14.6 13.6 Kansas 16.0 14.2 Kentucky 16.0 19.7 Louisiana 18.7 21.1 Maine 17.0 12.5 Maryland 16.5 15.1 Massachusetts 16.1 14.5 Michigan 17.8 14.8 Minnesota 13.2 14.0 Mississippi 18.0 21.7 Missouri 14.9 13.5 Montana 14.8 14.3 Nebraska 15.1 13.8 Nevada 14.5 18.6 New Hampshire 10.5 15.5 New Jersey 14.7 10.0 New Mexico 18.5 14.4 New York 17.9 14.5 North Carolina 15.3 16.1 North Dakota 20.4 15.4 Ohio 13.4 17.4 Oklahoma 16.5 17.4 Oregon 16.5 9.9 Pennsylvania 12.9 13.5 Rhode Island 15.1 13.2 South Carolina 17.7 21.5 South Dakota 13.1 13.4 Tennessee 13.6 20.5 Texas 17.5 19.1 Utah 10.5 11.6 Vermont 13.3 11.3 Virginia 15.5 14.3 Washington 15.2 11.0 West Virginia 15.0 18.5 Wisconsin 15.4 13.4 Wyoming 15.9 10.7

Source: Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health, a project of the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative (CAHMI). State Obesity Profiles, 2011. National Survey of Children's Health. Children age 10-17 are included in this data.

2007 Rates of Obese and Overweight Children

* Obesity is defined as body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI-for-age growth charts. Children with BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile are classified as overweight. BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. Children age 10-17 are included in this data.

2007 Rates of Obese and Overweight Children State Overweight (85th to 94th percentile) % Obese (95th percentile or above) % Alabama 18.2 17.9 Alaska 19.8 14.1 Arizona 12.7 17.8 Arkansas 17.1 20.4 California 15.5 15.0 Colorado 13.0 14.2 Connecticut 13.2 12.5 Delaware 19.8 13.3 District of Columbia 15.2 20.1 Florida 14.9 18.3 Georgia 16.0 21.3 Hawaii 17.3 11.2 Idaho 15.7 11.8 Illinois 14.2 20.7 Indiana 15.3 14.6 Iowa 15.3 11.2 Kansas 14.9 16.2 Kentucky 16.2 21.0 Louisiana 15.2 20.7 Maine 15.3 12.9 Maryland 15.2 13.6 Massachusetts 16.8 13.3 Michigan 18.2 12.4 Minnesota 12.0 11.1 Mississippi 22.6 21.9 Missouri 17.3 13.6 Montana 13.8 11.8 Nebraska 15.6 15.8 Nevada 19.0 15.2 New Hampshire 16.7 12.8 New Jersey 15.6 15.4 New Mexico 16.7 16.0 New York 15.8 17.1 North Carolina 14.9 18.6 North Dakota 14.3 11.4 Ohio 14.8 18.5 Oklahoma 13.1 16.4 Oregon 14.7 9.6 Pennsylvania 14.6 15.0 Rhode Island 15.8 14.4 South Carolina 18.5 15.3 South Dakota 15.2 13.2 Tennessee 15.9 20.6 Texas 11.9 20.4 Utah 11.7 11.4 Vermont 13.9 12.9 Virginia 15.7 15.2 Washington 18.4 11.1 West Virginia 16.7 18.9 Wisconsin 14.8 13.1 Wyoming 15.5 10.2

Source: National Survey of Children's Health. NCSH 2007. Data query from the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health website.

Retrieved 02/21/2014 from www.childhealthdata.org.

2003 Rates of Obese and Overweight Children

* Obesity is defined as body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI-for-age growth chars. BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. Children age 10-17 are included in this data.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The National Survey of Children's Health 2003. Rockville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005. Retrieved 12/01/2009 from http://mchb.hrsa.gov/overweight/state.htm.

2003 Rates of Obese and Overweight Children State Overweight % Obese % Alabama 17.8 16.7 Alaska 19.6 11.1 Arizona 17.5 12.2 Arkansas 16.4 16.4 California 16.8 13.2 Colorado 12.0 9.9 Connecticut 15.0 12.3 Delaware 20.7 14.8 District of Columbia 16.8 22.8 Florida 18.0 14.4 Georgia 15.3 16.4 Hawaii 13.5 13.3 Idaho 15.5 10.1 Illinois 15.4 15.8 Indiana 17.3 15.6 Iowa 13.0 12.5 Kansas 16.1 14.0 Kentucky 17.6 20.6 Louisiana 18.4 17.2 Maine 17.3 12.7 Maryland 16.6 13.3 Massachusetts 15.3 13.6 Michigan 14.3 14.4 Minnesota 13.8 10.1 Mississippi 18.8 17.8 Missouri 15.4 15.6 Montana 16.2 11.1 Nebraska 14.4 11.9 Nevada 14.2 12.4 New Hampshire 14.4 12.9 New Jersey 17.8 13.7 New Mexico 12.1 16.8 New York 15.6 15.3 North Carolina 14.6 19.3 North Dakota 14.8 12.1 Ohio 16.3 14.2 Oklahoma 12.8 15.4 Oregon 12.3 14.1 Pennsylvania 16.0 13.3 Rhode Island 15.1 11.9 South Carolina 17.2 18.9 South Dakota 13.8 12.0 Tennessee 15.3 20.0 Texas 13.3 19.1 Utah 12.3 8.5 Vermont 14.3 11.3 Virginia 16.7 13.8 Washington 14.3 10.8 West Virginia 15.6 20.9 Wisconsin 15.9 13.5 Wyoming 14.2 8.6

Source: National Survey of Children's Health. NCSH 2003. Data query from the Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent Health website.

Retrieved 02/21/2014 from www.childhealthdata.org

Childhood Obesity Facts

Approximately 13 million U.S. children and adolescents are obese, with a body mass index at or above the 95 th percentile.

percentile. Obesity is a major risk factor for many serious health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers.

During the past 40 years, obesity rates for children age 6 to 11 nearly tripled—from 5% to 14%—and more than tripled for adolescents age 12 to 19—from 5% to 17.1%.

Obese adolescents have an 80% chance of becoming obese adults.

An estimated 61% of obese young people already have at least one additional health risk factor such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

Childhood obesity health expenses are estimated at $14 billion annually.

Good nutrition and physical activity can help prevent obesity, but opportunities for healthy choices may be limited. Wealthy communities have three times as many supermarkets as poor areas, increasing their access to fruits, vegetables, and a wider selection of healthy foods. Poorer areas also often have less access to places to be physically active.

Almost 30% of U.S. children do not exercise three or more times a week.

More than 75% of high school students do not eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Sources: Ogden, et al. JAMA. 2014;311(8):806-814. JAMA, 295 (13): 1549-1555 and JAMA, 288 (14): 1728-1732.

CDC, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 54, no.8: 203. Pediatrics 103, no.6: 1175-1172.

CDC, Preventing Obesity and Chronic Diseases through Good Nutrition and Physical Activity.

Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics America's Children;

Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007.

Additional Resources