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.
- Non-Hispanic Asian American students in grades 9–12 were 24% less likely to be overweight than their peers of the total population in 2023.1
- Non-Hispanic Asian American female students were 53% less likely to be overweight than female students of the total population.
- Non-Hispanic Asian American male students were 4% more likely to be overweight than male students of the total population.
- In 2024, non-Hispanic Asian American adults were 63% less likely to be obese than adults of the total population.2
Visit MedlinePlus for health information about chronic conditions related to obesity in multiple languages. You can also browse the information by health topics, like Nutrition, to find resources in Asian languages.
Looking for curated searches on obesity within minority and tribal populations, including Asian American populations, in the United States and its territories? Check out the OMH Knowledge Center Topic Guides.
Adults
| Adults ages 18 and over who were obese (Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30.0 or greater), percentage, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Total Population | Asian / Total Population Ratio |
| 12.5 | 33.4 | 0.37 |
| Persons ages 18 and over who were overweight but not obese (BMI of 25.0–30.0), age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Total Population | Asian / Total Population Ratio |
| 32.4 | 34.0 | 0.95 |
| Persons ages 18 and over who were obese (BMI of 30.0 or greater), age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Total Population | Asian / Total Population Ratio |
| 13.0 | 31.1 | 0.42 |
| Age adjusted prevalence of overweight individuals (BMI of 25.0–29.9), percentage, by Asian Subgroup, 2013-2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Group | Population | Population / All Asian Ratio | |
| Non-Hispanic Asian | 33.1 | 1.00 | |
| Chinese | 25.3 | 0.76 | |
| Filipino | 36.6 | 1.11 | |
| Asian Indian | 35.2 | 1.06 | |
| Japanese | 30.6 | 0.92 | |
| Vietnamese | 29.0 | 0.88 | |
| Korean | 26.1 | 0.79 | |
| Other Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | Not Reported | Not Reported | |
Children and adolescents
| Children ages 6–11 who were obese, percentage, 2015–2018 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian only | Total Population | Asian / Total Population Ratio | |
| Girls | Not Reported | 17.7 | Not Reported |
| Boys | Not Reported | 20.9 | Not Reported |
| Both Sexes | 10.3 | 19.3 | 0.53 |
| Children ages 2–17 for whom a health provider within the past two years gave advice about the amount and kind of exercise, sports, or physically active hobbies they should have, percentage, 2020 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | Total Population | Non-Hispanic Asian / Total Population Ratio |
| 33.7 | Not Reported | Not Reported |
| Children ages 2–17 for whom a health provider gave advice within the past 2 years about healthy eating, percentage, 2020 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | Total Population | Non-Hispanic Asian / Total Population Ratio |
| 44.9 | Not Reported | Not Reported |
| Students in grades 9–12 who were overweight, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | Total Population | Non-Hispanic Asian / Total Population Ratio | |
| Female | 7.1 | 15.2 | 0.47 |
| Male | 14.9 | 14.3 | 1.04 |
| Total | 11.1 | 14.7 | 0.76 |
| Students in grades 9–12 who were obese, percentage, 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic Asian | Total Population | Non-Hispanic Asian / Total Population Ratio | |
| Female | 8.5 | 13.4 | 0.63 |
| Male | 13.3 | 18.2 | 0.73 |
| Total | 11.0 | 15.9 | 0.69 |
Health impact of obesity
| Adults ages 18 and over who did not meet federal physical activity guidelines for either aerobic activity or muscle-strengthening, age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Total Population | Asian / Total Population Ratio |
| 41.6 | 42.3 | 0.98 |
| Adults ages 18 and over who were sufficiently active (met aerobic activity guidelines only), age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Total Population | Asian / Total Population Ratio |
| 54.7 | 54.2 | 1.01 |
| Adults ages 18 and over who met federal physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening, age-adjusted percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Total Population | Asian / Total Population Ratio |
| 22.9 | 24.1 | 0.95 |
| Adults ages 18 and over with obesity who had a physician office visit for counseling or education related to diet or nutrition, percentage, 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian | Total Population | Asian / Total Population Ratio |
| Not Reported | Not Reported | Not Reported |
1 CDC. High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. High School Students Who Were Overweight, 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, 2023. (Back to top)
Date Last Reviewed: September 2025