Hawaii continues to rank among the nation’s healthiest states, but new national data show that progress on obesity and related health disparities remains uneven.
The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America 2025 report, released Thursday by the nonprofit Trust for America’s Health, found that 27% of adults in Hawaii were classified as obese in 2024 — among the lowest rates in the country. When combining those who are overweight or obese, 60% of Hawaii adults fall into that category, ranking the state 49th in the nation, tied with the District of Columbia.
While the state’s overall rates remain below national averages, the report points to concerning differences across age, gender and racial groups.
Adult obesity among women was estimated at nearly 38%, higher than men at 33%. By race, Asian adults had the lowest obesity rate at 18.7%, while Black and Latino adults saw rates of 34.9 and 33.5%, respectively.
The report also found that about 11.6% of Hawaii adults live with diabetes, while nearly 1 in 3 have hypertension. Roughly 21% of adults were classified as physically inactive, placing the state near the national middle for exercise levels.
Childhood and adolescent health metrics revealed similar mixed outcomes. About 18.5% of children ages 6 to 17 in Hawaii were classified as obese in 2023, while only 15.9% met the federal guideline for 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Among high school students, 14.7% were obese and 15.1% were overweight — both lower than national averages — but fewer than 1 in 4 teens reported exercising daily.
The data also underscore the connection between obesity and broader social conditions. Eight percent of Hawaii residents and 13% of children live below the federal poverty line, both below national averages. Yet food insecurity remains a challenge, with 1 in 10 households struggling to afford adequate food and roughly 1 in 5 children living in food-insecure homes. Half of those who experience food insecurity earn too much to qualify for federal food assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP.
At the same time, Hawaii’s cost of living continues to put pressure on families’ ability to eat healthy. The report found that the average cost per meal in Hawaii was $4.39 in 2023 — the highest in the nation and well above the U.S. average of $3.58. That means fewer families can stretch federal food benefits as far, even as 81% of eligible residents participate in SNAP and 61% in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC. Federal changes could worsen the situation: under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, around 94,000 families in Hawaii could lose some or all of their SNAP benefits, with an average monthly reduction of $183 per family.
Hawaii scored relatively well in environmental and community health factors. Nearly 9 in 10 children live in neighborhoods with sidewalks or walking paths, and 85% live near parks or playgrounds — higher than national averages.
The state’s “Complete Streets” policy, which encourages safe walking and biking infrastructure, earned a moderate score of 11 out of 20. Early childhood and school nutrition programs also show signs of progress. Hawaii scored 66 out of 100 for its child care licensing standards that promote healthy eating and activity, and 76 out of 100 for school lunch nutrition quality. The state has implemented the SUN Bucks summer food benefit and expanded the federal Community Eligibility Provision to 77% of eligible districts, allowing more students to receive free meals without applications. A bill to create universal free school meals statewide remains under consideration.
Nationally, the report found that 19 states had adult obesity rates at or above 35% in 2024, down from 23 states the previous year — the first decrease in the number of states at or above that level for this dataset.
However, the nation’s overall obesity rate remains alarmingly high, with 4 in 10 American adults classified as obese. The report notes that this progress is fragile, threatened in part by federal actions that reduce funding for public health programs, eliminate chronic disease prevention initiatives and limit access to nutrition supports.
Hawaii’s relatively strong performance stems from its long-standing investments in public health, education and community design. Only 4% of residents under 65 lack health insurance — less than half the national average — and 37% of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Still, disparities in obesity by race, sex and age, along with low daily physical activity among youth and potential threats to nutrition assistance, highlight areas where attention is needed.
Source: The Garden Island