For the first time in more than a decade, the number of states with rates of obesity of 35% or more dropped, an encouraging sign that America's epidemic of excess weight might be improving. Nineteen states had obesity rates of 35% or higher in 2024, down from 23 states the year before, according to an analysis of the latest data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While the decline is positive, “it's too soon to call it a trend,” said Dr. J. Nadine Gracia, president and chief executive for TFAH.