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Cited by 2,803Obesity, Physical Activity, DietObesity and Health PracticesDiabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins

Trends in Obesity Among Adults in the United States, 2005 to 2014

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Flegal, Katherine M., Kruszon-Moran, Deanna, Carroll, Margaret D., Fryar, Cheryl D., Ogden, Cynthia L.·2016·JAMA
DOI 10.1001/jama.2016.6458PMC PMC11197437
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Abstract

IMPORTANCE: Between 1980 and 2000, the prevalence of obesity increased significantly among adult men and women in the United States; further significant increases were observed through 2003-2004 for men but not women. Subsequent comparisons of data from 2003-2004 with data through 2011-2012 showed no significant increases for men or women. OBJECTIVE: To examine obesity prevalence for 2013-2014 and trends over the decade from 2005 through 2014 adjusting for sex, age, race/Hispanic origin, smoking status, and education. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Analysis of data obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a cross-sectional, nationally representative health examination survey of the US civilian noninstitutionalized population that includes measured weight and height. EXPOSURES: Survey period. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Prevalence of obesity (body mass index ≥30) and class 3 obesity (body mass index ≥40). RESULTS: This report is based on data from 2638 adult men (mean age, 46.8 years) and 2817 women (mean age, 48.4 years) from the most recent 2 years (2013-2014) of NHANES and data from 21,013 participants in previous NHANES surveys from 2005 through 2012. For the years 2013-2014, the overall age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 37.7% (95% CI, 35.8%-39.7%); among men, it was 35.0% (95% CI, 32.8%-37.3%); and among women, it was 40.4% (95% CI, 37.6%-43.3%). The corresponding prevalence of class 3 obesity overall was 7.7% (95% CI, 6.2%-9.3%); among men, it was 5.5% (95% CI, 4.0%-7.2%); and among women, it was 9.9% (95% CI, 7.5%-12.3%). Analyses of changes over the decade from 2005 through 2014, adjusted for age, race/Hispanic origin, smoking status, and education, showed significant increasing linear trends among women for overall obesity (P = .004) and for class 3 obesity (P = .01) but not among men (P = .30 for overall obesity; P = .14 for class 3 obesity). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this nationally representative survey of adults in the United States, the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity in 2013-2014 was 35.0% among men and 40.4% among women. The corresponding values for class 3 obesity were 5.5% for men and 9.9% for women. For women, the prevalence of overall obesity and of class 3 obesity showed significant linear trends for increase between 2005 and 2014; there were no significant trends for men. Other studies are needed to determine the reasons for these trends.

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  • As rates of obesity continue to rise in the general population, women are frequently reaching childbearing age obese, which is a key risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes mellitus.

    “As the rates of obesity continue to rise in the general population, women are frequently reaching childbearing age obese, which is a key risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) [48,49].”

    From Recent Experimental Studies of Maternal Obesity, Diabetes during Pregnancy and the Developmental Origins of Cardiovascular Disease (2022) · cites this paper as [49]

    The Trend Analyses section (page not provided) reports increasing obesity prevalence among US women aged 20–39, supporting the point about women approaching childbearing age with obesity. The paper does not address gestational diabetes or establish obesity as a risk factor for it. Its findings also concern US adults, rather than the general population without qualification. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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Research works printed but not linked: 30

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Authors
Flegal, K. M., Kruszon-Moran, D., Carroll, M. D., Fryar, C. D., & Ogden, C. L.
Affiliations
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
  • National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland
Corresponding author
Flegal, Katherine M.
ORCID
Venue
JAMA
Publisher
American Medical Association (AMA)
Published
2016-06-07
Volume
315
Issue
21
Pages
2284
ISSN
  • 0002-9955 (ISSN-L)
  • 0098-7484
DOI
10.1001/jama.2016.6458
PMC
PMC11197437
OpenAlex
W2411583672
Cited by
2,803
References
7
Citations by year
2026: 69 · 2025: 108 · 2024: 145 · 2023: 152 · 2022: 210 · 2021: 304 · 2020: 357 · 2019: 435 · 2018: 484 · 2017: 450 · 2016: 83 · 2015: 2
FWCI
480.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • JAMA (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institutes of Health (CC999999)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
Keywords
obesity prevalence, obesity trends, adult obesity, body mass index, sex differences, racial and ethnic differences, smoking status, educational attainment, NHANES, United States adults, age-adjusted prevalence
MeSH terms
Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Nutrition Surveys, Obesity, Sex Factors, Smoking, Time Factors, United States, Body Mass Index, Prevalence, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution

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