Obesity Not-So-Fun Facts

Two-thirds of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese.

Obesity is suggested that it will shorten the average U.S. life expectancy by at least two to five years over the next fifty years.

Since 1980, U.S. adult obesity rates have doubled from 15% to 30% today, and childhood obesity rates have nearly tripled from 6.5% to 16.3%.

Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S., second only to tobacco use.

Less than 30% of U.S. adults engage in regular leisure-time physical activity. More than 30% of youth in grades 9-12 do not engage in regular vigorous physical activity.

Fast food consumption is strongly associated with weight gain and insulin resistance which can lead to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Among children aged 6-11 years, consumption of chips, crackers, popcorn, and/or pretzels tripled from the mid-1970s to the mid 1990s. Consumption of soft drinks doubled during the same time period.

In less developed countries, poverty is associated with undernutrition and starvation. In the U.S., being poor is associated with and increased risk of being overweight due to high calorie, processed foods being more affordable.

Mooney, L. , Knox, D. , & Schacht, C. (2011). Understanding social problems. (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.