Obesity and American Indians/Alaska Natives

American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents are 30 percent more likely than non-Hispanic whites to be obese.
American Indian or Alaska Native adults are 50 percent more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic Whites.

Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are overweight but not obese, 2015. (Persons are considered overweight if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or greater.) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
American Indian/Alaska Native	Non-Hispanic White	American Indian/Alaska Native/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
31.2	32.9	0.9

Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2015. Table A-15
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

**Age-adjusted percentage of persons 18 years of age and over who are obese, 2015. (Persons are considered obese if they have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater.)**
American Indian/Alaska Native	Non-Hispanic White	American Indian/Alaska Native/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
43.7	28.5	1.5

Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2015. Table A-15
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

**Percent of children age 2-17 for whom a doctor or other health provider ever gave advice about amount and kind of physical activity, United States, 2013**
American Indian/Alaska Native	Non-Hispanic White	American Indian/Alaska Native/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
48.8	39.9	1.2

Source: National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query: Table 7_2_1_6_1.1 [Accessed 08/18/2017]
http://nhqrnet.ahrq.gov/inhqrdr/data/query

**Percent of children age 2-17 for whom a doctor or other health provider ever gave advice about eating healthy, United States, 2013**
American Indian/Alaska Native	Non-Hispanic White	American Indian/Alaska Native/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
61.3	56.3	1.1

Source: 2016 National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query: Table 7_2_1_8_1.1 [Accessed 08/18/2017]
http://nhqrnet.ahrq.gov/inhqrdr/data/query

**Percentage of high school students who were overweight, 2013**
	American Indian/Alaska Native	White	American Indian/Alaska Native/ White Ratio
Total	12.7	15.2	0.8

Source: High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data.
Available at http://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline. [Accessed 08/18/2017]

**Percentage of high school students who were obese, 2015**
	American Indian/Alaska Native	White	American Indian/Alaska Native/ White Ratio
Total	15.9	12.4	1.3

Source: High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data.
Available at http://nccd.cdc.gov/youthonline. [Accessed 08/18/2017]

People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, diabetes and LDL cholesterol ("a fatlike substance") -- all risk factors for heart disease and stroke.²
American Indian or Alaska Native adults are less likely than white adults to engage in regular leisure-time physical activity.

**Percentage Inactive physical activity among adults 18 & over: 2015 (Did not meet federal physical activity guidelines)**
American Indian	Non-Hispanic White	African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
46.4	43.7	1.1

Source: CDC 2016. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2014. Table A-14
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

**Percentage Some Leisure Time Physical Activity Among Adults 18 & over: 2015 (Met aerobic guidelines only)**
American Indian	Non-Hispanic White	African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
47.2	53.0	0.9

Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2015. Table A-14
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

**Percentage Regular Leisure Physical Activity Among Adults 18 & over: 2015 (Met federal physical activity guidelines)**
American Indian	Non-Hispanic White	African American/ Non-Hispanic White Ratio
18.9	23.4	0.8

Source: CDC 2017. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2015. Table A-14
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm

Obesity is a risk factor several diseases. For statistics on these related diseases see:

Diabetes –See Diabetes and American Indians/Native Americans

Heart Disease –See Heart Disease and American Indians/Native Americans

Stroke –See Stroke and American Indians/Native Americans

8/25/2017 10:18:00 AM

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