The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) provides state and some local obesity data online through a variety of tools. Links to these data, as well as data for a variety of dietary and health behaviors, are provided below. Most of these obesity data are based on self-reported height and weight, which results in lower estimates than the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and other studies where height and weight are measured by trained examiners.
Adult Obesity Data
Children and Adolescent Obesity Data
- Low-income preschoolers: County data (Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System) – available through the Food Environment Atlas
- WIC participants 3-23 months of age: State data (WIC Participants and Program Characteristics census data)
- WIC participants 2-4 years of age: State data (WIC Participants and Program Characteristics census data)
- Children 10-17 years of age: State data (National Survey of Children’s Health)
- High school students: State and some local data (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System)
Special Note on Obesity Maps: Maps depicting obesity data and trends are widely available on the internet for free. For instance, obesity maps are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Maps can be a powerful visual aid in presentations, fact sheets, proposals, and other materials.
