Individuals who are overweight or obese are at a heightened risk of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, elevated blood lipids, diabetes, and increased LDL cholesterol, all of which are significant contributors to heart disease and stroke.
- In 2023, non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander students in grades 9–12 were 2.39 times as likely to be obese as their peers of the total population.1
- Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander female students were 77% more likely to be obese than female students of the total U.S. population.
- Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander male students were 3.26 times as likely to be obese than male students of the total U.S. population.
- In 2024, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander adults were 27% more likely to be obese than adults of the total U.S. population.2
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Occurrence
Adults
| Adults ages 18 and over who were obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30.0 or greater), percentage, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| NHPI | Total Population | Ratio (NHPI / Total) |
| 42.4 | 33.4 | 1.27 |
Children and Adolescents
| Students in grades 9–12 who were overweight, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| NHPI* | Total Population | Ratio (NHPI* / Total) | |
| Male | 15.1 | 14.3 | 1.06 |
| Female | 15.6 | 15.2 | 1.03 |
| Both Sexes | 15.4 | 14.7 | 1.05 |
| Students in grades 9–12 who were obese, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| NHPI* | Total Population | Ratio (NHPI* / Total) | |
| Male | 59.3 | 18.2 | 3.26 |
| Female | 23.7 | 13.4 | 1.77 |
| Both Sexes | 38.0 | 15.9 | 2.39 |
Risk Factors for Complications
| Adults ages 18 and over who did not meet federal physical activity guidelines for either aerobic activity or muscle-strengthening, age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| NHPI | Total Population | Ratio (NHPI / Total) |
| 51.4 | 42.3 | 1.22 |
| Adults ages 18 and over who were sufficiently active (met aerobic activity guidelines only), age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| NHPI | Total Population | Ratio (NHPI / Total) |
| 44.5 | 54.2 | 0.82 |
| Adults ages 18 and over who met federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening, age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | Total Population | Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander / Total Population Ratio |
| 21.9 | 24.1 | 0.91 |
*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.
1 CDC. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. High School Students Who Had Obesity, 2023. (Back to top)
2 CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of obesity for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024. (Back to top)
Date Last Reviewed: January 2026