Population Health Tools – Measuring Health

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

State-specific Prevalence of Obesity Among U.S. Adults, by Race/Ethnicity, 2006-2008

Definitions:

• Obesity: Body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
• Body mass index (BMI): A measure of an adult’s weight in relation to his or her height, specifically the adult’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his or her height in meters.

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

State-specific Prevalence of Obesity Among U.S. Adults, by Race/Ethnicity, 2006-2008

Methods:

• Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
• Self-reported weights and heights.
• Limited to three years of data and limited to three racial/ethnic populations; non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics.
• Age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population.

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

(*BMI 30)

Hispanic

State-specific Prevalence of Obesity* Among U.S. Adults, by Race/Ethnicity, 2006-2008

White non-Hispanic

Black non-Hispanic

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

(*BMI 30)

White non-Hispanic

State-specific Prevalence of Obesity* Among U.S. Adults, by Race/Ethnicity, 2006-2008

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

(*BMI 30)

State-specific Prevalence of Obesity* Among U.S. Adults, by Race/Ethnicity, 2006-2008

Black non-Hispanic

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

(*BMI 30)

Hispanic

State-specific Prevalence of Obesity* Among U.S. Adults, by Race/Ethnicity, 2006-2008

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Table. Prevalence of obesity, by region and race/ethnicity, 2006-2008

	Non-Hispanic white	Non-Hispanic black	Hispanic
Total
Both sexes	23.7	35.7	28.7
Men	25.4	31.6	27.8
Women	21.8	39.2	29.4
Northeast
Both sexes	22.6	31.7	26.6
Men	25.0	26.5	26.9
Women	20.0	36.1	26.0
Midwest
Both sexes	25.4	36.3	29.6
Men	27.0	32.1	29.7
Women	23.8	40.1	29.2
South
Both sexes	24.4	36.9	29.2
Men	26.3	32.6	28.3
Women	22.5	40.6	29.7
West
Both sexes	21.0	33.1	29.0
Men	22.1	34.1	27.3
Women	19.8	32.0	30.4

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Summary

• Non-Hispanic blacks had the highest prevalence, followed by Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites
• For non-Hispanic blacks

Overall prevalence of obesity—35.7%

Higher prevalences were found in the Midwest and South

Prevalence ranged from 23.0% (New Hampshire) to 45.1% (Maine)

40 states had a prevalence of ≥ 30%

5 states (Alabama, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, and Oregon) had a prevalence of ≥ 40%

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Summary (Cont’d)

• For Hispanics

Overall prevalence of obesity—28.7%

Lower prevalence was observed in the Northeast

Prevalence ranged from 21.0% (Maryland) to 36.7% (Tennessee)

11 states had a prevalence of ≥ 30%

• For non-Hispanic whites

Overall prevalence of obesity—23.7%

Higher prevalences were found in the Midwest and South

Prevalence ranged from 9.0% (DC) to 30.2% (West Virginia)

Only one state (West Virginia) had a prevalence of ≥ 30%

5 states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, and New Mexico) and DC had a prevalence of <20%