Title: Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2008
Topic: Prevention/Vascular
Date Posted: 1/13/2010 11:00:00 AM
Author(s): Flegal KM, Carroll MD, Ogden CL, Curtin LR.
Citation: JAMA 2010;Jan 13:[Epub ahead of print].
Clinical Trial: No
Study Question: Has there been a change in the trend for increasing prevalence of obesity and overweight from 1999 through 2008?
Methods: The results are based on the analysis of height and weight measurements from 5,555 adult men and women ages 20 years or older obtained in 2007-2008 as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Data from NHANES obtained in 2007-2008 were compared with results obtained from 1999 through 2006. Overweight was defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25.0-29.9 kg/m2 and obesity was defined as a BMI of 30.0 kg/m2 or higher.
Results: In 2007-2008, the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 33.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 31.6-36.0%) overall, 32.2% among men, and 35.5% among women. The corresponding prevalence estimates for overweight and obesity combined were 68.0%, 72.3%, and 64.1%. Obesity prevalence varied by age group and by racial and ethnic group for both men and women. Over the 10-year period, obesity showed no significant trend among women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] for 2007-2008 vs. 1999-2000, 1.12 [95% CI, 0.89-1.32]). For men, there was a significant linear trend (AOR for 2007-2008 vs. 1999-2000, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.12-1.58]); however, the three most recent data points did not differ significantly from each other.
Conclusions: The increase in the prevalence of obesity previously observed does not appear to be continuing at the same rate over the past 10 years, particularly for women and possibly for men.
Perspective: That the trend for increasing obesity appears to have stopped is not much of an accomplishment. Very few adults in the United States are unaware of the increased risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other disorders associated with obesity. The US population-based efforts to impact the prevalence of obesity from 1999-2008 by education have been impressive, but the results are disappointing. In 2007-2008, nearly 20% of men and women had a BMI >35 kg/m kg/m2, which underscores the need for novel and safe drugs for targeting weight loss. Melvyn Rubenfire, M.D., F.A.C.C.
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