Individuals who are overweight or obese are at a heightened risk of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, elevated blood lipids, diabetes, and increased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, all of which are significant contributors to heart disease and stroke.
- Non-Hispanic Asian American students in grades 9–12 were 20% less likely to be overweight than non-Hispanic white peers in 2023.1
- Non-Hispanic Asian American female students were 50% less likely to be overweight than non-Hispanic white female students.
- Non-Hispanic Asian American male students were 10% more likely to be overweight than non-Hispanic white male students.
- In 2023, non-Hispanic Asian American adults were 60% less likely to be obese than non-Hispanic white adults.2
Adults
| Adults age 18 and over who were obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30.0 or greater), percentage, 2023 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian only | Non-Hispanic White | Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 13.3 | 33.2 | 0.4 |
| Persons age 18 and over who were overweight but not obese (BMI of 25.0–30.0), age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 32.4 | 33.9 | 1.0 |
| Persons age 18 and over who were obese (BMI of 30.0 or greater), age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 13.0 | 30.0 | 0.4 |
| Adults age 18 and over who were overweight by not obese by Asian subgroup, age-adjusted percentage, 2004–2006 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | Population / All Asian Ratio | Population / White Ratio | |
| White | 34.6 | 1.3 | -- |
| All Asians | 27.5 | -- | 0.8 |
| Chinese | 21.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 |
| Filipino | 33.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 |
| Asian Indian | 34.4 | 1.3 | 1.0 |
| Japanese | 25.9 | 0.9 | 0.7 |
| Vietnamese | 19.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
| Korean | 27.3 | 1.0 | 0.8 |
| Other Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 29.2 | 1.1 | 0.8 |
| Adults age 18 and over who were obese by Asian subgroup, age-adjusted percentage, 2004–2006 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | Population / All Asian Ratio | Population / White Ratio | |
| White | 23.6 | 2.9 | -- |
| All Asians | 8.1 | -- | 0.3 |
| Chinese | 4.2 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Filipino | 14.1 | 1.7 | 0.6 |
| Asian Indian | 6.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 |
| Japanese | 8.7 | 1.1 | 0.4 |
| Vietnamese | 5.3 | 0.7 | 0.2 |
| Korean | 2.8 | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Other Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 12.5 | 1.5 | 0.5 |
Children and Adolescents
| Children ages 6–11 who were obese, percentage, 2015–2018 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian only | Non-Hispanic White | Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio | |
| Girls | -- | 12.6 | -- |
| Boys | -- | 18.3 | -- |
| Both Sexes | 10.3 | 15.5 | 0.7 |
| Children ages 2–17 for whom a health provider within the past two years gave advice about the amount and kind of exercise, sports, or physically active hobbies they should have, percentage, 2020 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 33.7 | 39.9 | 0.8 |
| Children ages 2–17 for whom a health provider gave advice within the past 2 years about healthy eating, percentage, 2020 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 44.9 | 51.4 | 0.9 |
| Students in grades 9–12 who were overweight, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio | |
| Female | 7.1 | 13.2 | 0.5 |
| Male | 14.9 | 13.8 | 1.1 |
| Total | 11.1 | 13.5 | 0.8 |
| Students in grades 9–12 who were obese, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Non-Hispanic Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio | |
| Female | 8.5 | 11.3 | 0.8 |
| Male | 13.3 | 15.2 | 0.9 |
| Total | 11.0 | 13.4 | 0.8 |
Health Impact of Obesity
| Adults age 18 and over who did not meet federal physical activity guidelines for either aerobic activity or muscle-strengthening, age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 41.6 | 38.9 | 1.1 |
| Adults age 18 and over who were sufficiently active (met aerobic activity guidelines only), age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 54.7 | 57.5 | 1.0 |
| Adults age 18 and over who met federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening, age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 22.9 | 25.8 | 0.9 |
| Adults age 18 and over with obesity who had a physician office visit for counseling or education related to diet or nutrition, percentage, 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Non-Hispanic White | Asian / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| -- | 26.5 | -- |
1 CDC. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. High School Students Who Were Overweight, 2023. (Back to top)
2 CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of obesity for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2023. (Back to top)