70+ Obesity Statistics: Death Rate, Demographics, and Cost

Did you know that obesity causes 4.5 million deaths each year?¹⁴ 

Professor Julia Goedecke, a senior specialist for the Medical Research Council of South Africa, says, "People don’t understand; they see it as more of an aesthetic problem than a health problem.”

But what exactly causes obesity? Is it simply over-indulging, or what are the main contributing factors?

Senior scientist at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Nutrition Obesity Research Center, Dr. W. Timothy Garvey, M.D., explains, “The various causes of obesity are complex, involving genetics, societal, and environmental factors. Like many chronic diseases, obesity is [caused by] an intersection between genes and environment. The environment is likely to contribute more to obesity today than it did a century ago.”

Dr Caren Mangarelli, M.D., an assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, agrees.

Obesity is a growing issue, and it’s not slowing down any time soon. We’ve put together a list of the latest statistics on obesity to provide more insights.

Global Obesity Statistics 

Obesity is typically defined by BMI, but it’s not a reliable measure for visceral fat, which is the more dangerous fat linked to serious health risks.

Obesity is a pressing global health issue, impacting not only wealthy countries but also low- and middle-income nations.

The authors of the Atlas, Professor Louise Baur of the University of Sydney and CEO of The World Obesity Federation Johanna Ralston, say, “Obesity is global, affecting rich and poor at ever younger ages.”

• In 2022, the prevalence of obesity varied by region, ranging from 31% in South-East Asia and African Regions to 67% in North and South America.⁵

Being overweight was mainly a problem in high-income countries but is becoming more common in low- and middle-income countries.

• In Africa, the number of overweight children under five has risen by almost 23% since 2000.⁵
• In 2016, over a third of adults in the United States were obese.⁶

A study in The Obesity Society by Allison, D.B. et al. found, “The prevalence of obesity has increased substantially in the past half-century, both within the United States and globally. This increase has occurred in virtually every age, race, and sex group. A current estimate is that roughly one-third of US adults (more than 50 million persons) are obese.”

Authors Chrysoula Boutari and Christos S. Mantzoros, on the study of obesity in Elsevier explained why this is the case, “Although overweight and obesity are considered a high-income country problem, they both are currently on the rise in low- and middle-income countries due to the global free trade, the economic growth and the urbanization these countries are experiencing.”

• In 2016, about 40% of adults worldwide were estimated to be overweight or obese.⁶
• From 2017 to March 2020, 41.9% of U.S. adults were obese, and 9.2% had severe obesity (having a BMI of 40 or higher).^7,9
• In the U.S., 58% of adults with obesity have high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Additionally, about 23% of adults with obesity have diabetes^.7
• In the U.S. during 2017-2018, obesity was most common among adults aged 40-59 (11.5%), followed by those aged 20-39 (9.1%), and then adults 60 and older (5.8%).⁹
• By 2035, obesity in the African region is expected to have an annual economic impact exceeding $50 billion, equivalent to 1.6% of the region's gross domestic product (GDP).¹⁰
• Obesity rates in North and South America are expected to increase for both men and women over the next 11 years, with nearly half of all adults (47% to 49%) likely to be affected by obesity by 2035^.10
• In the Western Pacific region, obesity among adults is projected to double, increasing from 8% to 19% for men and from 9% to 16% for women.¹⁰
• In 2020, about 42% of the world's population aged 20 and older were estimated to be overweight or obese. By 2035, this is expected to increase to 46%.¹²
• On the South Pacific island of Tonga, 87% of women and 80% of men are overweight or obese.¹²
• About 33% of men and women in the United States report being obese. While in South Korea, this proportion is 3.2% for women and 5.3% for men, in Germany, this figure is 19% for both sexes.¹²
• North and South America had the largest proportion of obese men in 2020. But by 2035, the Western Pacific is anticipated to lead, with over 41% of males aged 5 to 19 obese.¹²

Dealing with this problem requires environmental and social level adjustments as it is complicated. Those who are obese can improve their health by working with a health coach to adopt better eating, exercise and lifestyle choices. Additionally, they should consult a healthcare practitioner about prescription drugs.

Obesity Death Rate Statistics

The link between obesity and poor health outcomes, including all-cause mortality, is well-known. Globally, over 2.8 million people die annually due to being overweight or obese. Additionally, an estimated 35.8 million Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs), representing 2.3% of the global total, are attributed to being overweight or obese.¹⁵ It's also important to consider the various health risks associated with obesity and being overweight.

Dr. Samuel Klein, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, emphasizes a crucial point about being overweight: “Being overweight doesn’t increase your risk of dying. It increases your risk of diabetes [and other conditions].”

Supporting Dr. Klein’s view, Dr. Steven Heymsfield, executive director of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Louisiana, adds:

Both experts highlight the importance of focusing on specific health markers rather than weight alone. This perspective is particularly significant in light of recent statistics.

• In 2019, an estimated 5 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, neurological disorders, chronic respiratory diseases, and digestive disorders were linked to higher-than-optimal BMI.^5,11
• In the same year, being overweight or obese caused over 15% of deaths in several middle-income countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, North Africa, and Latin America.⁶

• Obesity claimed 8–10% of deaths in the most affluent countries in 2019. In other middle-income countries, this ratio practically doubled. ⁶
• In many low-income countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), obesity accounts for less than 5% of deaths due to prevalent malnutrition.⁶ In 2019, 32.7% of children under five in SSA were stunted.¹⁶ Additionally, SSA faces a double burden of malnutrition, with both undernutrition and overweight/obesity, and sometimes a triple burden, including anemia in women of reproductive age.
• The average age-adjusted death rate in the United States sharply changed from 5.99 (95% confidence interval (CI), 5.89–6.1) in 1999 to 14.49 (95% CI, 14.35–14.64). The ICD-10 codes in the death records from 1999 to 2016 refer to illnesses associated with obesity or being overweight as responsible for this 141.90% rise in mortality rate.¹³
• For white people in the U.S., age-adjusted obesity mortality rates increased significantly from 5.61 (95% CI, 5.5–5.72) in 1999 to 14.1 (95% CI, 13.94–14.26) in 2016, a rise of 151.34%. ¹³
• Between 1999 and 2016, the American Indian or Alaska Native group saw the highest 17-year change in age-adjusted mortality rate, 230.04%, for deaths with an ICD-10 overweight and obesity code on the death certificate. ¹³
• When overweight and obesity were considered significant factors, the age-adjusted mortality rate increased by 173.19% for males and 116.89% for females from 1999 to 2016. ¹³
• Between 1999 and 2016, white males experienced a significant 176.03% increase in mortality rates due to overweight and obesity. For white females, the increase was lower at 129.36%, but the gap between the genders is widening. ¹³
• Overweight and obesity increased the mortality rate for black or African-American females by 72.83% from 1999 to 2016. However, the dramatic 165.34% increase in age-adjusted mortality rates for black or African-American males with overweight and obesity diagnosis, according to ICD-10 codes, overshadows this rise. ¹³

Obesity, responsible for nearly 10% of deaths in 2019, is a critical global health issue. Fatality rates linked to high apoB (protein in the blood that helps transport cholesterol and fats) have surged, especially in middle-income countries and certain U.S. demographics.

Dr Heymsfield emphasizes that sustainable lifestyle changes can effectively manage weight, making drastic measures like crash diets unnecessary when apoB levels remain consistent.

Dr Ethan Lazarus, MD, a family physician and obesity medicine specialist in Greenwood Village, Colorado, alternatively suggests, "Instead of just focusing on what to eat, it's nice to back up a few steps and think about why we are eating the way that we're eating because most of our eating behavior is not predetermined by choice.”

According to experts, prioritizing long-term wellness goals through prevention techniques rather than relying on quick fixes is the way forward, which, Dr. Lazarus emphasizes is the first step to figuring out “your eating patterns, eating triggers, and why you eat in a certain way."

Obesity Statistics by Demographics

Obesity doesn’t have a typical age group where it’s most prevalent. It is a global epidemic that affects people regardless of age, gender, or race. Particular emphasis is placed on groups severely affected by obesity, especially children. Obesity in children is not a normal part of development.

However, Dr. Mangarelli explains that the reasons for the worrisome rise in childhood obesity are largely the same as those affecting adults. “Children have that added barrier that they have less control over their home environment than the adults in charge of their care,” she says.

• In 2022, about 37 million children under the age of 5 were overweight worldwide.⁵
• Among adults aged 18 and older, 2.5 billion were overweight, including over 890 million with obesity in 2022. This means 43% of adults (43% of men and 44% of women) were overweight, up from 25% in 1990.⁵
• About 16% of adults worldwide were obese in 2022, with the global prevalence of obesity more than doubling since 1990.⁵
• Nearly half of the children under five years old who were overweight or obese in 2022 lived in Asia.⁵
• The rate of overweight (including obesity) in children and adolescents aged 5–19 has significantly increased from 8% in 1990 to 20% in 2022. This increase is similar for boys and girls: in 2022, 19% of girls and 21% of boys were overweight.⁵
• In 1990, only 2% of children and adolescents aged 5-19 were obese, totaling 31 million. By 2022, this number rose to 8%, with 160 million young people affected.⁵
• In 2016, the average BMI for women worldwide was about 25, the threshold for being overweight.⁶

"Obesity among minority racial groups and individuals living in rural areas can be attributed mostly to societal and environmental factors," according to Dr. Garvey and Dr. Mangarelli. 

People who belong to Black or Hispanic communities face financial difficulties that increase their likelihood of experiencing obesity, which confirms a connection between income inequalities and health disparities.

• From 2017 to March 2020, non-Hispanic Black adults in the U.S. had the highest obesity rate at 49.9%. They were followed by Hispanic adults at 45.6%, non-Hispanic White adults at 41.4%, and non-Hispanic Asian adults at 16.1%.⁷
• Between 2017 and March 2020, the highest obesity rates among U.S. adults were found in those with a high school diploma or some college education (46.4%). This was followed by individuals with less than a high school diploma (40.1%), and those with a college degree or higher had the lowest rates (34.2%).⁷
• Between 2017 and March 2020, there were no significant age group differences in obesity rates. Obesity affected 39.8% of U.S. adults aged 20-39, 44.3% aged 40-59, and 41.5% of adults aged 60 and older.⁷
• According to the 2017–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), about 19.3% of U.S. children and adolescents aged 2–19 are obese, with 6.1% having severe obesity and another 16.1% overweight.⁸

• From 2017 to 2018, obesity was least common among non-Hispanic Asian adults at 17.4%, compared to 42.2% in non-Hispanic white adults, 49.6% in non-Hispanic black adults, and 44.8% in Hispanic adults.⁹
• In the same period, obesity among men was least prevalent in non-Hispanic Asians (17.5%), whereas non-Hispanic whites had a rate of 44.7%, Hispanics were at 45.7%, and non-Hispanic blacks at 41.1%. Despite these differences, obesity rates among non-Hispanic whites, blacks, and Hispanics did not vary significantly.⁹
• For women, non-Hispanic Asians again showed the lowest obesity rates in 2017-2018 at 17.2%. On the other hand, 39.8% of non-Hispanic white women, 43.7% of Hispanic women, and 56.9% of non-Hispanic black women were obese.⁹
• During this time, severe obesity affected more women (11.5%) than men (6.9%) in the U.S.⁹
• Among all groups, severe obesity was most prevalent in non-Hispanic black adults at 13.8% and least in non-Hispanic Asian adults at 2.0%.⁹

• Between 2020 and 2035, obesity rates are projected to rise from 10% to 20% among boys and from 8% to 18% among girls worldwide.¹⁰
• Obesity rates among children and adolescents in Africa are expected to rise from 5% to 14% during 2020 to 2035.¹⁰
• By 2035, the prevalence of obesity among women in the African region is expected to increase to 31%.¹⁰
• Obesity among children and teens in North and South America is expected to increase from 20% to 33% for boys between 2020 and 2035.¹⁰
• The prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents in the Eastern Mediterranean Region is expected to rise from 11% to 23% between 2020 and 2035, affecting both boys and girls.¹⁰
• By 2035, more than 40% of women in the Eastern Mediterranean Region are expected to be obese.¹⁰

• Between 2020 and 2035, obesity among children and adolescents in Europe is expected to increase, with 14% of girls and 21% of boys estimated to be obese by 2035.¹⁰
• Obesity is estimated to afflict 39% of men and 35% of women in the European region by 2035.¹⁰
• Southeast Asian children and teens are rarely obese. However, from 2020 to 2035, it is expected to rise from 3% to 11% in girls and 5% to 16% in boys.¹⁰
• From 2020 to 2035, Southeast Asian adult obesity is anticipated to rise from 4% to 10% in men and 8% to 16% in women.¹⁰
• Obesity rates for Western Pacific Region children and teens are expected to rise from 9% to 28% for girls and 19% to 41% for boys between 2020 and 2035.¹⁰
• The 2020 worldwide obesity rate was 10% for boys and 8% for girls aged 5–19. By 2035, their numbers are expected to double.¹²

Notably, boys are more likely than girls to gain weight. Low-income and minority groups should be especially concerned about this inclination, which is aggravated by things like limited access to healthy food sources and safe recreational locations. 

To prevent future health services from becoming overcrowded and affecting the economy, it's important to focus on teaching kids healthy habits, starting community service projects that help people in need, and supporting laws that ensure everyone has access to a healthy diet and a physically active lifestyle.

At the White House signing of the Healthy, Hungry - Free Kids Act in 2010, Michelle Obama said, "We can all agree that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, all children should have the basic nutrition they need to learn and grow and to pursue their dreams, because, in the end, nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our children. ... These are the basic values that we all share, regardless of race, party, religion. This is what we share. These are the values that this bill embodies."

Cost of Obesity Statistics

Christina Hansen Edwards, a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), says, "We often hear that obesity represents a high cost for individuals and society because it increases the risk of health problems. All in all, however, the costs associated with being overweight are much higher.”

The obesity epidemic has major economic consequences. It's a growing global health issue with significant health and economic effects. Most of what we know about these economic impacts comes from high-income countries. If no action is taken, the global costs of overweight and obesity are expected to hit $3 trillion annually by 2030 and exceed $18 trillion by 2060.⁵

United States Senator of South Dakota Mike Rounds necessitates:

• In 2019, in the U.S., annual medical costs for adults with obesity were $1,861 higher per person compared to adults with a healthy weight.⁷
• For adults with severe obesity, the extra costs were $3,097 per person, adding up to nearly $173 billion in medical expenses in 2019.⁷

Gudrun Maria Waaler Bjørnelv, a researcher at NTNU's Department of Public Health and Nursing, considers not only the individual economic impact but also the societal impact, "Although the individual costs are highest for people who are obese, the total costs for society are highest with people who are overweight since there are many more people who are overweight than obese.”

Besides societal impacts, the severe projected costs affect individuals and the economy.

• The economic impact of obesity reduced global GDP by 2.4% in 2020 and is expected to rise to 2.9% by 2035.¹⁰ 
• Obesity had a significant economic impact in 2019, averaging 1.76% of GDP across eight countries. This ranged from 0.80% of GDP in India to 2.42% in Saudi Arabia.¹¹
• These annual impacts are comparable to the effects of COVID-19, which caused the world economy to shrink by 3% of GDP in 2020, the pandemic's worst year.¹⁰

• By 2035, the economic impact of high BMI is projected to be significant in various regions:
  1. North and South America: $1.5 trillion annually (3.7% of GDP).¹⁰
  2. Eastern Mediterranean Region: Over $160 billion annually (3% of GDP).¹⁰
  3. Europe: Over $800 billion annually (2.6% of GDP).¹⁰
  4. Southeast Asia: Over $250 billion annually (more than 2% of GDP).¹⁰
  5. Western Pacific Region: $1.5 trillion annually (3% of GDP).¹⁰
• In 2019, the per capita cost of obesity ranged from $17 in India to $940 in Australia.¹¹

• In 2019, obesity-related medical expenses made up 90% of direct healthcare costs on average in all countries.¹¹
• In the same year, informal caregivers' time constituted more than 90% of the average direct non-medical costs for obesity across all countries.¹¹
• Additionally, the costs of early deaths represented a significant portion (56%–92%) of the indirect expenses related to obesity in 2019.¹¹
• Obesity expenses in Spain are predicted to triple between 2020 and 2060, while they are predicted to grow 19 times in India. Eight nations will have an average cost of around 3.57% of GDP by 2060, with Thailand accounting for 4.88% and Spain for 2.43%.¹¹
• Overweight and obesity are predicted to have a $4.32 trillion economic impact on the world economy by 2035, up from $1.96 trillion in 2020.¹²

Obesity is creating a severe financial impact. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If we calculated it correctly, for every 5% reduction in body weight, healthcare costs could decrease by 7%, emphasizing the economic benefits of effective obesity management.

Addressing this problem will be essential for maintaining economic stability and health.

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Frequently asked questions

Sources 

1. Mayo Clinic
2. WebMD
3. Very Well Health
4. Clinic Barcelona
5. WHO
6. Our World in Data
7. CDC
8. CDC
9. CDC
10. World Obesity
11. BMJ Global Health
12. Statista
13. Author Manuscript
14. Unilever
15. WHO
16. Cambridge Open Access