Adult obesity rate holds steady but remains high

Still, about 34 percent of Americans age 20 and older are obese, according to a recently released study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Obesity, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes, is defined as a body mass index of 30 or greater. BMI is calculated from a person’s weight and height and provides a reasonable indicator of body fatness and weight categories that may lead to health problems.

The report, titled “Obesity Among Adults in the U.S.: No Significant Change in 2005–06,” is the latest analysis based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

There was no significant change, however, in obesity prevalence between 2003 and 2004 and between 2005 and 2006 for either men or women.

“Since 1999, there appears to have been a leveling off in obesity among women, but the trend is less clear among men,” said Cynthia Ogden, a CDC researcher and lead author of the study, in a news release.

“We do know, however, that the gap between men and women has narrowed in recent years, with men catching up to the higher rates among women.”

Study results

• More than one-third of U.S. adults – more than 72 million people – were obese in 2005–06. This includes 33.3 percent of men and 35.3 percent of women. The figures show no statistically significant change from 2003-04, when 31.1 percent of men were obese and 33.2 percent of women were obese.

• Adults age 40 to 59 had the highest obesity prevalence compared to other age groups. Approximately 40 percent of men in this age group were obese, compared with 28 percent of men age 20 to 39, and 32 percent of men age 60 and older.

• Among women, 41 percent of those between the ages of 40 and 59 were obese, compared to 30.5 percent of women age 20 to 39. Women age 65 and older had obesity prevalence rates comparable to women between the ages of 20 and 39.

There were, however, large race-ethnic disparities in obesity prevalence among women.

Approximately 53 percent of non-Hispanic black women and 51 percent of Mexican-American women aged 40-59 were obese compared to about 39 percent of non-Hispanic white women of the same age.

Among women 60 and older, 61 percent of non-Hispanic black women were obese compared to 37 percent of Mexican-American women and 32 percent of non-Hispanic white women.

“In view of these alarmingly high rates of obesity in all population groups, CDC has made the

prevention of obesity one of its top public health priorities,” said Janet Collins, director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, in the release.

“We are actively working in partnership with state and local public health agencies, the nation’s schools, community organizations, businesses, medical systems and faith communities to promote and support healthy eating, physical activity and healthy weight,” she added.[[In-content Ad]]