Overweight/Obesity
■ Nationally, the incidence of obesity has increased almost
two-fold over the past two decades, currently affecting
approximately one out of six adolescents.iv
■ Over one in five adolescents (23%) ages 15–19 years
old (22% of males and 23% of females) report
themselves to be “slightly overweight.”v
■ Rates for obesity and overweight vary among ethnic
groups. Roughly a quarter of Latino (25%), Native
American/Alaska Native (25%) and African-American
(23%) youth ages 10-19 have a BMI of 25% or higher.
Whites (12%) and Asians (11%) have the lowest rates.
(Graph 1)