Massachusetts obesity statistics

Information about obesity in Massachusetts from the Department of Public Health

Obesity in MA

• More than half of adults and 1 in 4 high school and middle school students in Massachusetts are overweight or obese.
• In Massachusetts in 2011, Black adults were 43% more likely to be obese, and Hispanic adults were 40% more likely to be obese than White adults. [2011 MA BRFSS]
• More than three-fourths of adults in Massachusetts are not eating the recommended 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. [2011 MA BRFSS]
• Only 14% of high school students in Massachusetts report eating the recommended 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. [2011 MYRBS]
• Only 28% of middle school students ate three or more fruits and vegetables the day before the survey. [2011 MYHS]
• In the past ten years, the percentage of adults in Massachusetts with diabetes has increased 28% (5.8% in 2000 vs. 7.4% in 2010). [2000 and 2010 MA BRFSS]
• According to a recent study published in the journal Obesity, over $3.5 billion of medical expenses in Massachusetts are due to adult obesity. [Trogdon JG, et al. 2012]