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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2026 Feb 25.
Published in final edited form as: Circulation. 2025 Jan 27;151(8):e41–e660. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001303

Table 6–3.

Prevalence of Adults ≥20 Years of Age With Severe Obesity, by Demographic Characteristics, United States, 2017 to March 2020

Characteristic Both sexes Males Females
Sample size, n Prevalence percentage (95% CI) Sample size, n Prevalence percentage (95% CI) Sample size, n Prevalence percentage (95% CI)
Total (age adjusted) 8295 9.2 (8.0–10.6) 4051 6.6 (5.3–8.1) 4244 11.7 (10.0–13.7)
Total age (crude) 8295 9.0 (7.8–10.3) 4051 6.4 (5.1–8.0) 4244 11.4 (9.7–13.3)
Age group, y
 20–39 2489 9.7 (7.7–12.0) 1177 7.0 (4.7–10.1) 1312 12.4 (9.8–15.3)
 40–59 2765 10.7 (8.9–12.8) 1320 8.1 (5.5–11.5) 1445 13.2 (10.0–16.9)
 ≥60 3041 6.1 (5.2–7.2) 1554 3.5 (2.6–4.5) 1487 8.3 (6.8–10.0)
Race and ethnicity
 NH White 2866 9.5 (7.9–11.3) 1432 6.8 (5.1–8.9) 1434 12.0 (9.8–14.6)
 NH Black 2213 14.0 (11.9–16.3) 1058 7.9 (6.3–9.7) 1155 19.1 (16.0–22.6)
 NH Asian 1014 1.8 (1.0–2.8) 466 2.4 (0.9–5.1) 548 1.1 (0.2–3.3)
 Hispanic 1806 7.4 (6.1–8.9) 880 6.0 (4.2–8.4) 926 8.8 (7.0–10.9)
Family income relative to FPL, %
 ≤130 2019 10.9 (8.2–13.9) 892 7.4 (5.3–9.9) 1127 13.5 (10.0–17.7)
 130–350 2815 11.8 (10.1–13.6) 1400 8.8 (7.1–10.8) 1415 14.5 (11.8–17.4)
 >350 2312 6.9 (5.4–8.6) 1189 4.6 (2.9–6.8) 1123 9.5 (7.0–12.4)
Education
 Less than high school diploma 1538 7.6 (5.8–9.6) 803 3.3 (2.0–5.1) 735 12.2 (9.6–15.3)
 High school diploma or some college 4709 11.3 (10.3–12.4) 2259 9.0 (7.2–11.0) 2450 13.5 (11.6–15.7)
 College degree or above 2037 6.1 (4.3–8.5) 984 3.3 (1.9–5.4) 1053 8.5 (5.7–12.2)

Severe obesity is defined as a body mass index ≥40 kg/m2. Except when reported as crude estimates, estimates were age adjusted by the direct method to the projected US Census 2000 population using the age groups 20 to 39, 40 to 59, and ≥60 years. Statistical comparisons were not performed on crude estimates. Pregnant individuals were excluded from the analysis.

FPL indicates federal poverty level; and NH, non-Hispanic.

Source: Adapted from Stierman et al8 using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.133