Obesity and American Indians/Alaska Natives

Obesity is a long-term health condition defined as having an excessive accumulation of body fat that poses a risk to our health. It is commonly identified in adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher, and children with a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for their sex and age.

Having too much body fat can cause inflammation and other lasting changes in the body. Obesity raises the risk of many serious health problems for both children and adults. The risk is higher with the more weight a person has and the longer they carry it for. In children and adults, obesity increases the chance of health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and some forms of cancer, among other health problems. Eating healthy foods, being physically active, and managing stress can help prevent obesity and support better overall health.

In 2024, American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults were 22% more likely than U.S. adults overall to have obesity.

In 2023, AI/AN high school boys were 52% less likely than other students to be overweight but not obese, while AI/AN high school girls were more than twice as likely as their peers to be overweight but not obese.

In 2018, AI/AN adults were 22% less likely than U.S. adults overall to meet national guidelines for both aerobic and muscle-strengthening physical activity.

Additional Resources

MedlinePlus

Related Data

Further Reading

HHS OMH Knowledge Center Topic Guide: Obesity

Occurrence

Adults

Adults ages 18 and over who were obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30.0 or greater), percentage, 2024
AI/AN	Total Population	Ratio (AI/AN / Total)
40.9	33.4	1.22

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2025). Interactive summary health statistics for adults: Percentage of obesity for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Adults ages 18 and over who were overweight but not obese (BMI of 25.0–30.0), age-adjusted percentage, 2018
AI/AN	Total Population	Ratio (AI/AN / Total)
33.1	34.0	0.97

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics. (2019). Summary health statistics: National Health Interview Survey, 2018 (Table A-15a). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Children and Adolescents

Students in grades 9–12 who were overweight, percentage, 2023
	AI/AN*	Total Population	Ratio (AI/AN* / Total)
Male	6.9	14.3	0.48
Female	30.5	15.2	2.01
Both Sexes	17.4	14.7	1.18

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. (2024). 1991-2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey data: High school students who were overweight. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Students in grades 9–12 who were obese, percentage, 2023
	AI/AN*	Total Population	Ratio (AI/AN* / Total)
Male	15.1	18.2	0.83
Female	12.7	13.4	0.95
Total	14.0	15.9	0.88

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. (2024). 1991-2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey data: High school students who had obesity. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Risk Factors for Complications

Adults ages 18 and over who did not meet federal physical activity guidelines for either aerobic activity or muscle-strengthening, age-adjusted percentage, 2018
AI/AN	Total Population	Ratio (AI/AN / Total)
41.0	42.3	0.97

Adults ages 18 and over who were sufficiently active (met aerobic activity guidelines only), age-adjusted percentage, 2018
AI/AN	Total Population	Ratio (AI/AN / Total)
54.4	54.2	0.99

Adults ages 18 and over who met federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening, age-adjusted percentage, 2018
AI/AN	Total Population	Ratio (AI/AN / Total)
18.7	24.1	0.78

*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.

Date Last Reviewed: January 2026