Obesity is a risk factor for a myriad of chronic medical conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, heart disease, arthritis, and even certain cancers. According to a new study published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association, current increases in the prevalence of obesity in the United States are not as significant as they were in the past.

Scientists from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, examined trends in obesity from 1999 through 2008 and the current prevalence of obesity and overweight for 2007-2008 by studying data from the National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). By analyzing height and weight measurements from 5555 adult men and women aged 20 years or older, the researchers found that the overall prevalence of obesity was 33.8% in 2007-2008. The prevalence of obesity was 32.2% among adult men and 35.5% among adult women during this period. Overall prevalence for both obesity and overweight combined was 68.0%. Over the 10-year period from 1999 through 2008, there was no significant trend in obesity prevalence among women, but there was a linear trend among men.

Data from 1988-1994 showed that the prevalence of obesity in the United States increased by about 8 percent since 1976-1980 after having been relatively stable since 1960. Analyses from 1999-2000 showed further increases in obesity for both men and women in all age groups. This most recent analysis of NHANES data suggests that the prevalence of obesity may have entered another period of relative stability. However, the researchers caution that their analysis does not rule out future large changes in obesity prevalence, especially because the causes of the trends are largely unknown.

Source:

JAMA. 2010;303(3):(doi.10.1001/jama.2009.2014).