Nearly 1 in 3 Americans over 20 is obese, study finds

Nearly a third of Americans over the age of 20 in 2015 reported that they were obese, according to a new study released by the federal government.

The Center for Disease Control survey showed self-reporting of obesity continued its upward trend last year, when 30.4 percent of American adults said they were severely overweight, reported CNS News.

That number is up from 29.9 percent in 2014, and represents a double-digit increase since 1997, when just 19.4 percent of Americans reported they were obese.

The study defines obesity as having a body mass index of more than 30. BMI indicates what a healthy weight is based on a person’s height. A BMI between 20 and 24.9 is considered healthy, while between 25 and 29.9 is overweight, and 30 or more is obese.

An additional third of Americans reported heights and weights that indicate they are overweight.

Obesity rates come with myriad health problems, including higher rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer.

The highest rates of obesity were among adults aged 40 to 59, of which men reported obesity at a rate of 36.3 percent and women 33 percent.

Broken down by race, black women reported obesity rates of 45 percent, compared to 32.6 percent of Hispanic women and 27.2 percent of white women.

Black men reported obesity at a 35.1 percent clip, compared to 32 percent among Hispanic men and 30.2 percent of white men.