While we often pride ourselves on being a nation of opportunity, a staggering 74.5% of American adults are now carrying the weight of being overweight or obese, a number that crystallizes a much larger and more alarming crisis in our national health.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021-2023, the prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults aged 20 and over was 40.3%, with severe obesity at 9.4%
- From 2017–2018, 42.4% of U.S. adults had obesity, varying by state from 29.2% in Colorado to 56.3% in West Virginia
- In 2023, 19.7% of U.S. children and adolescents aged 2-19 years had obesity
- In 2022, 6.4% of U.S. adults had coronary heart disease
- Age-adjusted death rate from heart disease was 161.7 per 100,000 in 2022
- 48% of U.S. adults have some form of cardiovascular disease in 2023
- In 2019, cancer accounted for 21.7% of all U.S. deaths, or 599,601 deaths
- Age-adjusted cancer death rate was 146.4 per 100,000 in 2022
- Breast cancer incidence rate: 127.9 per 100,000 women in 2020
- In 2023, 20.1% of U.S. adults reported any mental illness
- Serious mental illness prevalence: 5.7% or 14.3 million U.S. adults aged 18+ in 2023
- 21% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2022
- U.S. life expectancy at birth was 77.5 years in 2023, up from 76.4 in 2022
- Life expectancy for males: 74.8 years, females: 80.2 years in 2023
- Infant mortality rate: 5.60 per 1,000 live births in 2022
American health faces a crisis of widespread obesity, chronic disease, and poor nutrition.
Cancer Incidence and Mortality
- In 2019, cancer accounted for 21.7% of all U.S. deaths, or 599,601 deaths
- Age-adjusted cancer death rate was 146.4 per 100,000 in 2022
- Breast cancer incidence rate: 127.9 per 100,000 women in 2020
- Lung cancer caused 125,070 deaths in U.S. in 2023
- Prostate cancer incidence: 109.3 per 100,000 men in 2020
- Colorectal cancer death rate: 13.7 per 100,000 in 2022
- 1 in 6 U.S. men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in lifetime
- Melanoma incidence: 21.2 per 100,000 in 2020
- Pancreatic cancer mortality: 11.0 per 100,000 in 2022
- 5-year survival for all cancers combined: 68.7% in 2014-2020
- Liver cancer incidence rose 3% annually from 2012-2021
- Cervical cancer screening: 65.5% of women aged 21-65 up-to-date in 2021
- Oral cavity/pharynx cancer deaths: 10,790 in 2023
- Kidney/renal pelvis cancer incidence: 17.1 per 100,000 in 2020
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma survival: 74.3% 5-year rate
- Uterine corpus cancer deaths increased 1.4% annually 2012-2021
- Bladder cancer: 81,640 new cases expected in 2024
- Leukemia incidence: 14.3 per 100,000 in 2020
- Thyroid cancer 5-year survival: 98.4%
- Brain/other nervous system cancer mortality: 6.7 per 100,000
- Multiple myeloma incidence: 7.1 per 100,000 in 2020
- 18% of U.S. cancers linked to excess body weight
- HPV vaccination coverage: 59% of girls aged 13-17 fully vaccinated in 2022
- Mammography screening: 76.9% of women 50-74 screened in past 2 years in 2021
- Colorectal cancer screening: 72.5% of adults 50-75 up-to-date in 2022
- Lung cancer screening low: 5.8% of eligible high-risk adults in 2021
- Cancer costs U.S. $21.1 billion in medical spending annually
Cancer Incidence and Mortality Interpretation
The relentless toll of cancer, claiming one in five American lives and billions of dollars annually, underscores a grim national paradox: we possess powerful screening tools and preventative knowledge that could bend these stubborn statistics, yet our collective execution—from vaccination rates to early detection—remains frustratingly and fatally inconsistent.
Cardiovascular Health
- In 2022, 6.4% of U.S. adults had coronary heart disease
- Age-adjusted death rate from heart disease was 161.7 per 100,000 in 2022
- 48% of U.S. adults have some form of cardiovascular disease in 2023
- Stroke prevalence among U.S. adults aged 18+ was 3.1% or 7.9 million people in 2022
- High blood pressure affects 47% or 116 million U.S. adults in 2023
- Only 22.5% of U.S. adults with hypertension have it under control (<140/90 mmHg) in 2019
- Heart disease caused 695,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2022
- 18.1 million U.S. adults aged 20+ have coronary artery disease in 2023
- Stroke death rate was 39.7 per 100,000 in 2022, down 8.5% from 2021
- 45% of U.S. adults have hypertension, highest in non-Hispanic Black adults at 56.1%
- Average systolic blood pressure in U.S. adults is 122 mmHg, diastolic 71 mmHg in 2017-2018
- 7.2% of U.S. adults report angina or coronary heart disease in 2022
- Atrial fibrillation prevalence is 2.7 million cases in U.S. adults aged 18+
- Heart failure affects 6.7 million U.S. adults aged 20+, projected to 8.5M by 2030
- 25% of U.S. adults aged 65+ have peripheral artery disease
- Cholesterol screening: 82.3% of U.S. adults ever tested, 64.7% in past 5 years in 2022
- Hyperlipidemia prevalence is 27.3% among U.S. adults in 2023
- 94% of heart attack patients had cholesterol levels over 200 mg/dL
- U.S. adults with high cholesterol: 28 million untreated in 2015-2018
- Smoking contributes to 20% of cardiovascular deaths in U.S.
- Physical inactivity: 25% of U.S. adults get no aerobic activity in 2022
- Diabetes doubles cardiovascular disease risk; 34.2 million U.S. adults have diabetes
- Congenital heart defects affect 1% or 1 million U.S. children and adults
- Sudden cardiac arrest: 356,000 out-of-hospital cases annually in U.S.
- Women with heart disease have 1.5 times higher mortality post-MI than men
- 12.1 million U.S. adults have history of heart attack or angina
Cardiovascular Health Interpretation
The grim chorus of American heart health statistics sings a relentless tune: while we are brilliantly screening for problems, we are tragically underperforming at the basic, life-saving controls, leaving nearly half the nation playing cardiovascular roulette with their arteries.
Life Expectancy and Mortality
- U.S. life expectancy at birth was 77.5 years in 2023, up from 76.4 in 2022
- Life expectancy for males: 74.8 years, females: 80.2 years in 2023
- Infant mortality rate: 5.60 per 1,000 live births in 2022
- Leading cause of death: Heart disease, 180.9 per 100,000 age-adjusted in 2023
- COVID-19 deaths: 75,000 in 2023, down 82% from 2021 peak
- Drug overdose deaths: 107,941 in 2022, opioid-related 81,806
- Homicide rate: 7.7 per 100,000 in 2022
- Life expectancy gap: Non-Hispanic Black 71.8 vs. Asian 83.5 years in 2022
- Maternal mortality rate: 22.3 per 100,000 live births in 2022
- Age-adjusted all-cause mortality: 715.1 per 100,000 in 2023
- Alzheimer's deaths: 119,400 in 2022
- Firearm-related deaths: 48,830 in 2022
- Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 138.4 per 100,000 deaths in 2023
- Diabetes mortality: 23.2 per 100,000 in 2022
- Unintentional injuries: 58.0 per 100,000, #4 cause of death in 2023
- Stroke deaths: 41.1 per 100,000 age-adjusted in 2023
- Kidney disease deaths: 14.5 per 100,000 in 2022
- Life expectancy at 65: 18.3 years additional (total 83.3) in 2022
- Rural mortality higher: 17% above urban age-adjusted rate in 2022
- Excess deaths 2020-2023: 1.3 million above expected
- Child mortality under 1 year: 560.4 per 100,000 in 2022
- Cancer mortality: 142.1 per 100,000 in 2023
- Influenza/pneumonia deaths: 12.7 per 100,000 in 2023
- Parkinson's disease deaths: 12.2 per 100,000 in 2022
Life Expectancy and Mortality Interpretation
While cautiously celebrating our average lifespans creeping upward, we are tragically and expensively fracturing from within, plagued by overdoses, disparities, and our own hearts and guns.
Mental Health
- In 2023, 20.1% of U.S. adults reported any mental illness
- Serious mental illness prevalence: 5.7% or 14.3 million U.S. adults aged 18+ in 2023
- 21% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2022
- Suicide is 10th leading cause of death; 49,316 suicides in 2022
- 12.5% of U.S. adults have depression; women 16.5%, men 8.6% in 2021
- Anxiety disorders affect 19.1% of U.S. adults annually
- 3.8% of U.S. adults have bipolar disorder lifetime prevalence
- PTSD prevalence: 6% of U.S. adults, higher in women at 8%
- Only 46.2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2021
- Youth mental health: 37.1% of high school students felt persistently sad/hopeless in 2021
- ADHD affects 9.4% or 6 million U.S. children aged 3-17
- 1 in 6 U.S. children aged 6-17 experienced mental health disorder in 2016
- Opioid use disorder: 2.7 million people aged 12+ in 2021
- 50% of U.S. adults will develop mental illness in lifetime
- Schizophrenia prevalence: 1.1% of U.S. population
- Eating disorders: 9% of U.S. population, 28.9M affected lifetime
- Loneliness epidemic: 1 in 2 U.S. adults report measurable loneliness in 2023
- Mental health treatment gap: 15M U.S. adults with SMI receive no treatment
- Emergency visits for mental health: 5.8 million in 2021, up 30% from 2019
- Telepsychiatry use: 40% increase during COVID, now 20% of visits
- College students: 44% experienced depression symptoms in 2022
- Veteran suicide rate: 17.7 per 100,000, 1.5x civilian rate
- Black adults: 26.9% depression rate vs. 16.5% white in 2021
- LGBTQ+ youth: 45% serious psychological distress vs. 14% straight peers
- Sleep disorders link to mental health: 35-50% of anxiety patients have insomnia
- Dementia: 6.7M U.S. adults 65+ living with Alzheimer's in 2023
Mental Health Interpretation
The statistics paint a chilling portrait of a nation where mental illness is a rampant, quiet epidemic, yet we're still handing out bandaids when what's truly needed is a comprehensive and compassionate overhaul of our entire healthcare system.
Obesity and Nutrition
- In 2021-2023, the prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults aged 20 and over was 40.3%, with severe obesity at 9.4%
- From 2017–2018, 42.4% of U.S. adults had obesity, varying by state from 29.2% in Colorado to 56.3% in West Virginia
- In 2023, 19.7% of U.S. children and adolescents aged 2-19 years had obesity
- Average daily sodium intake among U.S. adults is 3,400 mg, exceeding the recommended limit of 2,300 mg by 47%
- Only 12.3% of U.S. adults met federal fruit intake recommendations in 2021, down from 13.1% in 2019
- 10.5% of U.S. adults consumed no fruits or vegetables daily in 2021
- U.S. adult fruit consumption averaged 0.9 cup equivalents per day in 2019, below the 2.0 cup recommendation
- In 2020, 26.2% of U.S. adults reported sugar-sweetened beverage consumption daily
- Obesity prevalence among non-Hispanic Black adults was 49.9% in 2017-2020, highest among racial groups
- From 1999–2000 to 2017–2018, obesity prevalence tripled among U.S. adults aged 20-39 to 40.0%
- 36.2% of U.S. adults aged 60 and over had obesity in 2021-2023
- Low-income U.S. adults had 45.2% obesity prevalence vs. 31.6% high-income in 2017-2018
- U.S. adults with less than high school education had 44.3% obesity rate in 2017-2018
- Daily whole grain intake averaged 0.6 ounce equivalents per day for U.S. adults in 2013-2016, below 3 oz recommendation
- 90.3% of U.S. adults exceed saturated fat intake limits, averaging 11% of calories vs. 10% recommended
- U.S. children aged 2-19 consumed 13% of calories from added sugars in 2015-2018
- Only 10% of U.S. adults met vegetable intake guidelines in 2021
- Obesity-related medical costs in the U.S. reached $173 billion annually in 2019
- 74.5% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese (BMI ≥25) in 2021-2023
- Hispanic U.S. adults had 45.6% obesity prevalence in 2017-2020
- U.S. adult dairy consumption averaged 1.5 cup equivalents per day in 2015-2016, below 3 cups recommended
- 8.6% of U.S. adults reported consuming fried potatoes daily in 2015-2018
- Protein intake among U.S. adults averaged 82g/day for men and 66g/day for women in 2015-2016
- U.S. adolescents aged 12-19 had 22.2% obesity prevalence in 2017-2020
- Women with obesity in U.S. had 3.8 times higher healthcare costs than normal weight in 2016
- 5.8% of U.S. adults aged 20-39 had severe obesity in 2021-2023
- U.S. adults in the South had 40.8% obesity rate vs. 33.5% in the West in 2021-2023
- Trans fat intake among U.S. adults averaged 1.3% of calories in 2011-2012
- 2.5% of U.S. children aged 2-5 had severe obesity in 2017-2020
- U.S. adult fiber intake averaged 17g/day vs. 25-38g recommended in 2013-2016
Obesity and Nutrition Interpretation
It appears the national diet is reading the USDA recommendations as a dare.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 2ERSers.usda.govVisit source
- Reference 3ARSars.usda.govVisit source
- Reference 4NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
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- Reference 7SEERseer.cancer.govVisit source
- Reference 8CANCERcancer.orgVisit source
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- Reference 10NIMHnimh.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 11SAMHSAsamhsa.govVisit source
- Reference 12NAMInami.orgVisit source
- Reference 13ADAAadaa.orgVisit source
- Reference 14PTSDptsd.va.govVisit source
- Reference 15NIDAnida.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 16NATIONALEATINGDISORDERSnationaleatingdisorders.orgVisit source
- Reference 17KFFkff.orgVisit source
- Reference 18PSYCHIATRYpsychiatry.orgVisit source
- Reference 19MENTALHEALTHmentalhealth.va.govVisit source
- Reference 20THETREVORPROJECTthetrevorproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 21SLEEPFOUNDATIONsleepfoundation.orgVisit source
- Reference 22ALZalz.orgVisit source
- Reference 23SSAssa.govVisit source
- Reference 24WONDERwonder.cdc.govVisit source