NEW YORK – About 4 in 10 American adults are obese, and almost 1 in 10 is severely so, government researchers said Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention findings come from a 2017-18 health survey that measures height and weight. More than 5,000 U.S. adults took part. The survey found that the obesity rate was 42% – higher than the 40% found in a similar 2015-16 study.