The first decline in U.S. obesity rates in decades

Obesity rates in the United States have been rising in recent decades, but that trend may be changing. The number of obese adults will decline slightly in 2023, suggesting the country has reached a tipping point in this public health crisis. The rise of weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wigovy has led some to suggest that these may be driving the change. But it’s not that simple.

Obesity rates began to rise in the United States in the 1970s. From 1976 to 1980, 15 percent The adults of…