Overweight and Obesity Enter Top Telehealth Diagnostic Categories in South and Midwest

Mental health conditions remain the top telehealth diagnosis nationally and regionally

Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:57pm

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According to FAIR Health's Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker, in December 2025, overweight and obesity entered the top five telehealth diagnostic categories in the South and Midwest regions for the first time. Nationally and in every region, patients with mental health conditions continued to make up the largest percentage of telehealth claims, though that percentage decreased slightly from November to December. Telehealth utilization, as measured by both percentage of patients with a telehealth claim and percentage of telehealth claim lines, increased nationally and in most regions.

Why it matters

The rise of overweight and obesity as top telehealth diagnoses in the South and Midwest suggests a growing need for remote care and monitoring of chronic health conditions in those regions. Meanwhile, the continued dominance of mental health conditions in telehealth points to the ongoing importance of virtual care for behavioral health, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for these services. The data provides insights into evolving telehealth trends that can inform healthcare planning and resource allocation.

The details

In December 2025, overweight and obesity entered the top five telehealth diagnostic categories in the South and Midwest, displacing other conditions that had previously held those spots. Nationally and in every region, mental health conditions remained the top telehealth diagnoses, though the percentage of patients with these conditions decreased slightly from November to December. Telehealth utilization, as measured by both the percentage of patients with a telehealth claim and the percentage of telehealth claim lines, increased nationally and in most regions, with the largest increases seen in the Northeast.

  • In December 2025, overweight and obesity entered the top five telehealth diagnostic categories in the South and Midwest.
  • From November to December 2025, the percentage of patients with a mental health condition who had a telehealth claim decreased nationally and in every region.

The players

FAIR Health

A national, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supplies objective, unbiased information to improve healthcare quality, access and affordability. It holds the nation's largest collection of commercial healthcare claims data.

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The takeaway

The rise of overweight and obesity as top telehealth diagnoses in the South and Midwest, combined with the continued dominance of mental health conditions nationally, highlights the evolving role of telehealth in addressing chronic health issues and behavioral health needs across different regions of the country.