Obesity and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders

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, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NHPI) adults were 27% more likely than U.S. adults overall to have obesity.

In 2023, NHPI high school boys were more than three times as likely as their peers to have obesity, and NHPI high school girls were 77% more likely than their peers.

In 2018, NHPI adults were 9% less likely than U.S. adults overall to meet national guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening 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
NHPI	Total Population	Ratio (NHPI / Total)
42.4	33.4	1.27

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.

Children and Adolescents

Students in grades 9–12 who were overweight, percentage, 2023
	NHPI*	Total Population	Ratio (NHPI* / Total)
Male	15.1	14.3	1.06
Female	15.6	15.2	1.03
Both Sexes	15.4	14.7	1.05

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
	NHPI*	Total Population	Ratio (NHPI* / Total)
Male	59.3	18.2	3.26
Female	23.7	13.4	1.77
Both Sexes	38.0	15.9	2.39

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
NHPI	Total Population	Ratio (NHPI / Total)
51.4	42.3	1.22

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-14a). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Adults ages 18 and over who were sufficiently active (met aerobic activity guidelines only), age-adjusted percentage, 2018
NHPI	Total Population	Ratio (NHPI / Total)
44.5	54.2	0.82

Adults ages 18 and over who met federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening, age-adjusted percentage, 2018
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	Total Population	Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander / Total Population Ratio
21.9	24.1	0.91

*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.

Date Last Reviewed: January 2026