Four in ten American women are obese, new data shows

More than four in ten women in the US are now classified as obese, according to the latest government figures.

Data compiled by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association show that the obesity rate among American women for the period 2013–2014 is 40.4%, compared to 35% for men.

Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of over 30; a BMI of under 25 is considered to indicate a healthy weight. The prevalence of class 3 obesity, which is defined as a BMI of over 40, now stands at 5.5% for men and just under 10% for women.

While obesity has been increasing among both men and women in the US for some time, the latest figures represent a significant increase in the relative prevalence of female obesity. Previously, the figures for men and women had been roughly the same for a decade.

The figures also show significant variations among ethnic groups, with obesity rates standing at 57% among African-American women, 47% among Hispanic women, 38% among white women, and 12% among Asian-American women.

Susan Averett has written about obesity and labor market outcomes for IZA World of Labor. Noting that obesity is associated with both lower probability of employment and lower wages, she argues that: “Governments and employers have a compelling interest in finding ways to reduce obesity levels and discrimination against obese workers.”

Related articles:
Obesity and labor market outcomes by Susan L. Averett
Is maternal employment related to childhood obesity? by Wencke Gwozdz
Consequences of the obesity epidemic for immigrants by Laura Argys
Find more IZA World of Labor articles about health and wellbeing.