Louisiana Records Significant Decline in Adult Obesity Rate, National Report FindsHealth

<h2>West Virginia the only other state to improve</h2> West Virginia was the only other state to record a statistically significant decrease, with its rate falling from 41.4 per cent in 2024 to 37.4 per cent in 2025. No state experienced a statistically significant increase.

Nationally, about four in ten adults have obesity, and 21 states had adult obesity rates at or above 35 per cent in 2025, according to the report. Rates ranged from 25.7 per cent in Colorado to 39.7 per cent in Alabama.

<h2>Officials welcome the progress</h2> &#8220;This is another sign that Louisiana is moving in the right direction when it comes to the health of our people,&#8221; said Gov. Jeff Landry, adding that the state wanted every resident — parents, children and families — to have the opportunity to live healthier lives.

Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein said moving from 39.2 per cent to 35.6 per cent in one year was &#8220;a major step&#8221;, but stressed the work was not finished. &#8220;We are focused every day on reducing health risks, preventing chronic disease, and building systems that help Louisianians live longer, healthier lives,&#8221; he said.

The department said prevention and nutrition remained central to its efforts, including initiatives to increase access to healthy foods, encourage physical activity, prevent chronic disease and help residents make healthier choices.

<h2>Warning against losing momentum</h2> J. Nadine Gracia, president and CEO of Trust for America&#8217;s Health, said the data were encouraging but warned against complacency. &#8220;After decades of rising obesity rates in this country, we are finally starting to see adult rates stabilize,&#8221; she said. &#8220;These data are encouraging, but we cannot afford to lose momentum.&#8221;

The report recommended a series of policy actions, including fully staffing and resourcing federal agencies, investing in prevention initiatives, expanding access to healthy meals in schools, mandating a front-of-package nutrition labelling system for packaged foods, and introducing sugary beverage taxes.

Public health researchers note that sustained progress on obesity typically requires long-term, population-level efforts rather than short-term campaigns, and Louisiana officials said the state would continue tracking its ranking as new annual data are released.