Obesity Rate in North America (2026)
North America contains some of the highest obesity rates in the world. Several Caribbean nations and territories, along with the United States and Mexico, rank near the top of the global obesity table, while a few countries on the continent remain much lower. Obesity Rate in North America compares adult obesity levels across 26 North American countries and territories, showing where obesity is most widespread and how sharply rates vary across the region.
See Also:
Obesity Rate in North America Rankings
| # | Country | Obesity Rate (Both Sexes) | Global Rank | Continent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 🇧🇸Bahamas |
48.41% | 10 | North America |
| 2 | 🇰🇳Saint Kitts and Nevis |
47.88% | 11 | North America |
| 3 | 🇧🇿Belize |
43.22% | 14 | North America |
| 4 | 🇵🇷Puerto Rico |
41.86% | 18 | North America |
| 5 | 🇺🇸United States |
41.83% | 19 | North America |
| 6 | 🇧🇧Barbados |
39.64% | 24 | North America |
| 7 | 🇵🇦Panama |
37.76% | 28 | North America |
| 8 | 🇲🇽Mexico |
37.39% | 31 | North America |
| 9 | 🇯🇲Jamaica |
35.69% | 36 | North America |
| 10 | 🇦🇬Antigua and Barbuda |
35.41% | 38 | North America |
| 11 | 🇱🇨Saint Lucia |
35.35% | 39 | North America |
| 12 | 🇻🇨Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
35.02% | 40 | North America |
| 13 | 🇧🇲Bermuda |
34.81% | 42 | North America |
| 14 | 🇳🇮Nicaragua |
33.99% | 45 | North America |
| 15 | 🇨🇷Costa Rica |
33.37% | 48 | North America |
| 16 | 🇩🇲Dominica |
32.95% | 52 | North America |
| 17 | 🇹🇹Trinidad and Tobago |
31.96% | 54 | North America |
| 18 | 🇬🇩Grenada |
31.87% | 55 | North America |
| 19 | 🇸🇻El Salvador |
31.41% | 58 | North America |
| 20 | 🇭🇳Honduras |
30.84% | 62 | North America |
| 21 | 🇩🇴Dominican Republic |
30.68% | 64 | North America |
| 22 | 🇬🇱Greenland |
29.28% | 73 | North America |
| 23 | 🇨🇦Canada |
27.11% | 85 | North America |
| 24 | 🇬🇹Guatemala |
26.68% | 88 | North America |
| 25 | 🇨🇺Cuba |
24.95% | 99 | North America |
| 26 | 🇭🇹Haiti |
10.72% | 167 | North America |
Key Findings
Bahamas Has the Highest Obesity Rate in North America
- Bahamas ranks #1 in North America with an obesity rate of 48.41%, followed by Saint Kitts and Nevis (47.88%), Belize (43.22%), Puerto Rico (41.86%), and the United States (41.83%).
- These figures place several Caribbean countries and territories at the top of the North American obesity ranking.
The Caribbean Dominates the Top of the Ranking
- Many of North America’s highest obesity rates are found in the Caribbean, including the Bahamas, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Barbados, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Bermuda.
- This shows that the region’s obesity burden is not limited to large countries such as the United States and Mexico.
The United States and Mexico Rank Among the Highest
- The United States records an obesity rate of 41.83%, while Mexico stands at 37.39%.
- Both countries rank among the highest-obesity countries in North America and also place high in the global ranking.
Canada Is Well Below the Regional Leaders
- Canada’s obesity rate is 27.11%, which is significantly lower than the Bahamas, the United States, Mexico, and many Caribbean countries.
- This places Canada in the lower half of the North American ranking rather than among the region’s highest-obesity countries.
Haiti Has the Lowest Obesity Rate in North America
- Haiti ranks last in North America with an obesity rate of 10.72%, the lowest in the region by a wide margin.
- It is followed by Cuba (24.95%), Guatemala (26.68%), Canada (27.11%), and Greenland (29.28%).
About Obesity Rate in North America
Obesity is a major health issue across much of North America. The region includes several countries with obesity rates above 35%, especially in the Caribbean, alongside large countries such as the United States and Mexico where obesity affects a significant share of adults. Obesity Rate in North America measures the percentage of adults classified as obese in each country or territory and ranks them from highest to lowest.
These differences reflect a mix of diet, food environments, urban lifestyles, physical activity, income levels, healthcare access, and broader public health conditions. Looking at obesity across North America helps highlight where the obesity burden is heaviest and which countries remain below the regional leaders.
Definitions & Methodology
What does obesity rate in North America measure?
Obesity rate in North America shows the percentage of adults classified as obese in each North American country or territory. The ranking is based on the Obesity Rate (Both Sexes) value in the dataset.
How are North American countries ranked?
Countries and territories are ranked from highest to lowest according to their overall adult obesity rate. A higher percentage means a larger share of the adult population is living with obesity.
What unit is used?
All values are shown as percentages (%). For example, an obesity rate of 48.41% means about 48.41% of the adult population in that country is classified as obese.
Why do obesity rates vary across North America?
Obesity rates across North America are shaped by differences in diet, processed food consumption, physical activity, income levels, healthcare access, urban lifestyles, and broader public health conditions.
Obesity Rate in North America FAQs
Which country has the highest obesity rate in North America?
Bahamas has the highest obesity rate in North America in this dataset at 48.41%, followed by Saint Kitts and Nevis, Belize, Puerto Rico, and the United States.
Which country has the lowest obesity rate in North America?
Haiti has the lowest obesity rate in North America at 10.72%, followed by Cuba, Guatemala, Canada, and Greenland.
Why are many Caribbean countries high in the North America obesity ranking?
Many Caribbean countries rank high because obesity rates are influenced by diet changes, imported processed foods, lower physical activity, urban lifestyles, and long-term health trends across the region.
How does the United States compare with the rest of North America?
The United States ranks 5th in North America with an obesity rate of 41.83%, placing it among the highest-obesity countries in the region.
How is obesity rate in North America measured?
Obesity rate in North America is measured as the percentage of adults in each country or territory who fall into the obesity category according to international public health definitions used in the dataset.