Rates of overweight among children and adolescents in the United States have reached a record high, while growth in adult overweight rates is slowing, according to ABC, citing data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“The report shows that more than one in five American children and adolescents is overweight, the highest level ever recorded,” the report states.

The study was conducted from August 2021 to August 2023. During this period, 21.1% of children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 were found to be overweight, which is 5.2% higher than figures from a similar study in 1971–1974.

Additionally, 7% of children were classified as severely obese, 1% higher than half a century ago.

The adult study during the same period found that 40.3% of adults aged 20 and older were overweight, with 9.7% classified as severely obese.

For comparison, between 1988 and 1994, only 20.9% of U.S. adults were overweight. In 2017–2018, the adult overweight rate was 42.4%, indicating that the trend may be slowing for the first time in decades.

A separate study published in late January predicts that by 2035, the number of overweight Americans could rise to 126 million.