Living Well / Reducing Obesity

Reducing Obesity2025-05-14T17:37:33-07:00

Obesity is linked to conditions that reduce quality and length of life1.

Overweight and obese children are at greater risk for obesity into adulthood and health challenges such as cardiovascular conditions, type 2 diabetes, and respiratory conditions.  They also may experience psychological challenges such as anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, as well as social problems such as bullying and stigma1.  Obesity in adulthood is associated with serious chronic diseases that can reduce both quality of life and the lifespan.  Risk factors for obesity include environmental factors, such as access to healthy affordable food and places for physical activity; health behaviors such as unhealthy eating patterns including processed foods and added sugars, lack of physical activity, poor sleep hygiene and excessive screen time; as well as genetic factors, some medical conditions and medications, and excessive stress2, 3.

These indicators track the percent of children who are overweight for their age, and percent of adults who are obese, in California.

Obesity – Children Overweight for Age

In 2022 (baseline year), 14.9% of children ages 0 to 11 years were overweight for their age. The most recent data available show 14.9% (2022). We hope to reach a target of 11.5% or lower by 2034.

More Data about Obesity – Children Overweight for Age

Baseline

14.9%

Current Rate

14.9%

Target

11.5%

Obesity – Adults

In 2022 (baseline year), 28.8% of adults were obese. The most recent data available show 28.8% (2022). We hope to reach a target of 24.4% or lower by 2034.

More Data about Obesity – Adults

Baseline

28.8%

Current Rate

28.8%

Target

24.4%

Indicator Highlights

Data Snapshot

Percent of Children Overweight for Age and Adults who are Obese, Over Time

 

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Percent of Children Overweight for Age and Adults who are Obese, by Demographic Category

 

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Percent of Children Overweight for Age and Adults who are Obese, by County

 

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Indicator: Percent of children (ages 0 to 11 years) who are overweight for age.

Description:  This indicator consists of the percentage of children 11 years or younger whose parents or guardians report they are overweight for age. The data are from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), an annual population-based, omnibus health survey of California. It is the largest telephone survey in California and the largest state health survey in the country. Beginning in 2019 CHIS began using web and telephone surveys. Prior to 2019, all surveys were conducted by phone. Note that this indicator uses weighted data. The CHIS is conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

Data Limitations:  Asked of California’s residential population (adults, teens, and children), administered in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Does not include those living in group quarters or homeless persons.

Indicator Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS)

Data Sharing Agreement: Researchers can access a variety of publicly available CHIS data files and web tools. These CHIS data products include downloadable data sets and easy-to-read documents. In addition, local county health departments can request data files specific to their county. However, researchers can apply to analyze confidential CHIS data, data sensitive variables and/or geo-coded data through the CHIS Data Access Center (DAC). Access to confidential CHIS data requires a research application, review, and approval.

Indicator Calculation Methodology:
The indicator consists of the percentage of respondents whose children are 11 years or younger self-reporting their children’s height and weight when responding to the prompts [CA1] – “Some of the questions are based on (CHILD’s) personal traits, like his or her age. So, I will first ask you a few brief background questions. Is (CHILD) male or female?” AND [CA2] – “What is {his/her} date of birth?” AND [CA3] – “How old is {he/she}?” AND [CA4] – “About how tall is (CHILD) now without shoes?” AND [CA5] – “About how much does (CHILD) weigh now without shoes?”  This variable assigns overweight for age to children, and is constructed using sex, age (in months) and height. For more information, see https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/cdc-growth-charts.htm.  Corresponding source variable(s): OVRWTAGE.  More information is available here: https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/our-work/california-health-interview-survey-chis/chis-design-and-methods

Data Collection Methodology: https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/our-work/california-health-interview-survey-chis/chis-design-and-methods/chis-methodology-reports-repository 

Program URL Link:  https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CFH/Pages/Hunger,-Nutrition,-and-Health.aspx

Reporting Cycle: Annual (June)

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Indicator: Percent of adults (ages 18 or older) who are obese.

Indicator Description: This indicator consists of the percentage of adults 18 years or older reporting a body mass index >= 30. The data are from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), an annual population-based, omnibus health survey of California. It is the largest telephone survey in California and the largest state health survey in the country. Beginning in 2019 CHIS began using web and telephone surveys. Prior to 2019, all surveys were conducted by phone. Note that this indicator uses weighted data. The CHIS is conducted by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

Data Limitations: Asked of California’s residential population (adults, teens, and children), administered in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. Does not include those living in group quarters or homeless persons.

Indicator Source: California Health Interview Survey (CHIS)

Data Sharing Agreement: Researchers can access a variety of publicly available CHIS data files and web tools. These CHIS data products include downloadable data sets and easy-to-read documents. In addition, local county health departments can request data files specific to their county. However, researchers can apply to analyze confidential CHIS data, data sensitive variables and/or geo-coded data through the CHIS Data Access Center (DAC). Access to confidential CHIS data requires a research application, review, and approval.

Indicator Calculation Methodology: The indicator consists of the percentage of respondents who are 18 years or older self-reporting height and weight when responding to the prompts [AE17] – {“How tall are you without shoes” or “These next questions are about your height and weight. How tall are you without shoes”} AND’ [AE18} – {When not pregnant, how/How} much do you weigh without shoes?}.  This variable provides a four-level descriptive of body mass index for adults (0 – 18.49 (Underweight), 18.5 – 24.99 (Normal), 25.0 – 29.99 (Overweight), 30.0 or higher (Obese). Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated by dividing WEIGHT (in kilograms) by HEIGHT SQUARED (in meters). BMIs greater than or equal to 30 is considered Obese for adults.  Corresponding source variable(s): RBMI.  More information is available here: https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/our-work/california-health-interview-survey-chis/chis-design-and-methods

Data Collection Methodology:  https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/our-work/california-health-interview-survey-chis/chis-design-and-methods/chis-methodology-reports-repository

Program URL Link:  https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CFH/Pages/Hunger,-Nutrition,-and-Health.aspx

Reporting Cycle: Annual (June)

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2022). Overweight & Obesity: Consequences of Obesity. Retrieved July 2, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/basics/consequences.html

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). Obesity: Adult Obesity Facts. Retrieved July 2, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult-obesity-facts/index.html

3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). Obesity: Risk Factors for Obesity. Retrieved July 2, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/risk-factors/risk-factors.html

4. Ling, J., Chen, S., Zahry, N. R., & Kao, T. A. (2023). Economic burden of childhood overweight and obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obesity reviews: an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 24(2), e13535. Retrieved January 27, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13535

5. Cawley, J., Biener, A., Meyerhoefer, et al. (2021). Direct medical costs of obesity in the United States and the most populous states. Journal of managed care & specialty pharmacy, 27(3), 354–366.  Retrieved January 27, 2025 from https://doi.org/10.18553/jmcp.2021.20410

6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). Managing Health Condition in School: Managing Obesity in Schools: Retrieved July 2, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/school-health-conditions/chronic/obesity.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/index.htm

7. Stierman, B., Afful, J., Carroll, M. D., et al. (2021). Retrieved National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2017-March 2020 Prepandemic Data Files-Development of Files and Prevalence Estimates for Selected Health Outcomes. National Health Statistics Reports, (158), 10.15620/cdc:106273. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from DOI: https://doi.org/10.15620/cdc:106273

8. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2021). Health Statistics: Overweight and Obesity Statistics. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity

9. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. (2025).  Chronic Disease Program: Overweight and Obesity.  Retrieved January 27, 2025, from https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/our-work/overweight-and-obesity

10. University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. (2024). Health Behaviors: Diet and Exercise: Adult Obesity: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2025 from https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/health-data/health-factors/health-behaviors/diet-and-exercise/adult-obesity?state=06&year=2024&tab=1#map-anchor

11. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. Retrieved January 27, 2025 from https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans-2020-2025.pdf#page=56

12. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2023.  Healthy Weight and Growth: Rethink Your Drink.  Retrieved January 27, 2025 from https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/rethink-your-drink/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/healthy_eating/drinks.html

13. World Cancer Research Fund. (2025). Research and Policy:  Evidence for Our Recommendations:  Limit Fast Foods.  Retrieved January 27, 2025 from https://www.wcrf.org/research-policy/evidence-for-our-recommendations/limit-fast-foods/#overview-of-evidence

14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health. BRFSS Prevalence & Trends Data [online]. 2023. Retrieved January 28, 2025 from https://www.cdc.gov/brfss/brfssprevalence/

15. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. California Health Interview Survey 2022.  Retrieved January from https://healthpolicy.ucla.edu/our-work/california-health-interview-survey-chis/access-chis-data

16. Fryar CD, Carroll MD, Afful J. (2020). Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity among children and adolescents aged 2–19 years: United States, 1963–1965 through 2017–2018. NCHS Health E-Stats. 2020. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from DOI from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/obesity-child-17-18/obesity-child.htm

17. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. (2023). State of Childhood Obesity. 2023 Annual Report. Retrieved July 2, 2024, from https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/2023-annual-report/

18. Lange SJ, Kompaniyets L, Freedman DS, et al. (2021). Longitudinal Trends in Body Mass Index Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Persons Aged 2–19 Years — United States, 2018–2020. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 70(37): 1278–1283. Retrieved September 3, 2024, from DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7037a3

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