Prevalence of Preclinical and Clinical Obesity Among US Children and Adolescents Aged 5 to 18 Years: NHANES 2017–2023
Authors' conclusion
Applying the Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission's new definition criteria revealed substantial physiological dysfunction in US youth. Applying preclinical and clinical obesity definitions is challenging, given the limitations of the routinely collected clinical and epidemiological data that make up NHANES and in standard clinical practice.
Study context
- Population
- US youth aged 5–18 years, NHANES 2017–2023
- Participants
- 5,513 participants
- Exposure
- No obesity vs Preclinical obesity vs Clinical obesity
- Outcome
- Prevalence of preclinical and clinical obesity (Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission framework)
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Weighted prevalence
- Combined prevalence, similar to ≈22% using BMI percentile alone
- 20.8%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Clinical obesity by subgroup
- Clinical obesity more common in older children and racial/ethnic minority groups but similar by sex
Impairments associated with clinical obesity
- Low HDL-C
- 60.3%
- Asthma
- 24.8%
- Early menarche in girls
- 18.0%
- Elevated blood pressure
- 16.2%
- Prediabetes/diabetes
- 9.1%
- Functional limitations related to walking
- 7.7%
- Functional limitations related to self-care
- 4.1%
Original publication
Prevalence of Preclinical and Clinical Obesity Among US Children and Adolescents Aged 5 to 18 Years: NHANES 2017–2023. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 19 April 2026. doi:10.
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