Two-thirds Americans either overweight or obese

More than two-thirds of Americans - 75 percent men and 67 percent women aged 25 and older - are now either overweight or obese, a survey shows.

The study estimated that around 40 percent of men (36.3 million) and 30 percent of women (almost 28.9 million) were overweight and 35 percent of men (31.8 million) and 37 percent of women (nearly 35.8 million) were obese.

The researchers from Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, analysed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2012 to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity.

They collected data of 15,208 men and women suggesting that the US has more obese people than those who are simply overweight.

"Population-based strategies helping to reduce modifiable risk factors such as physical environment interventions, enhancing primary care efforts to prevent and treat obesity and altering societal norms of behaviour are required," the authors said.

The results appeared online in JAMA Internal Medicine.