Among adults, overweight is associated with increased risk for death, coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, gallbladder disease, joint disease, and certain cancers (1), and overweight during adolescence is associated with increased risk for overweight as an adult (2). CDC's third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) provides data to monitor changes in the dietary, nutritional, and health status of the U.S. population (3) and to track progress toward achieving the year 2000 national health objectives, including those related to prevalence of overweight (4). This report presents findings from NHANES III, Phase 1 (1988-91), on the prevalence of overweight among U.S. adolescents (ages 12-19 years).