Introduction
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The prevalence of obesity (BMI≥30) continues to be a health concern for
adults, children and adolescents in the United States. Data
from the most recent NHANES survey1 shows that among adult men the prevalence
of obesity was 31.1% in 2003—2004, and 33.3% in 2005—2006, a
small but
not statistically significant change. Among adult women, the prevalence of
obesity in 2003—2004 was 33.2%, and in 2005—2006 was 35.3%, again a
small but not significant change.
Another recent NHANES survey2 found that obesity prevalence among children and adolescents showed no
significant changes between 2003—2004 and 2005—2006. Based on the study,
in the combined years of 2003—2006, 16.3% of children and adolescents
aged 2–19 years were obese, at or above the 95th percentile of the 2000
BMI-for-age growth charts.
This rate of obesity raises concern because of its implications for the
health of Americans. Obesity increases the risk of many diseases and
health conditions. These include–
- Coronary heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
- Stroke
- Liver and Gallbladder disease
- Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
- Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
- Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)
Two of the Healthy People 2010 national health objectives3 are (1) to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults to less than 15% and (2) to reduce the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents to less than 5%. This site provides a variety of information designed to help people understand the severity of obesity, the efforts being made to address it, and how to maintain a healthy weight.
Selected Resources
Healthy Weight – It's not a diet,
it's a lifestyle
Whether you want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, it’s
important to understand the connection between the energy your body takes
in (through the foods you eat and the beverages you drink) and the energy
your body uses (through the activities you do).
At A Glance 2009 — Obesity, Halting the Epidemic by Making Health Easier
Weight Management Research to Practice Series
The Weight Management Research to Practice Series is a series designed to
summarize the science on weight management topics for health
professionals. An overview of the science will be compiled into a summary
document appropriate for public health professionals, including
implications for practice. In addition, each installment in the series
will be accompanied by a tool geared toward a lay audience, which can be
used by health professionals in practice.
References
1Ogden CL, Carroll MD, McDowell MA, Flegal KM. Obesity among adults in
the United States – no change since 2003—2004. NCHS data brief no 1.
Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, 2007.
2Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Flegal KM. High Body Mass Index for Age Among US
Children and Adolescents, 2003—2006. JAMA. 2008;299(20):2401—2405.
3U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010.
2nd ed. With Understanding and Improving Health and Objectives for Improving
Health. 2 vols. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, November
2000.
Please note: Some of these publications are available for download only as *.pdf files. These files require Adobe Acrobat Reader in order to be viewed. Please review the information on downloading and using Acrobat Reader software.
* Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.
Page last updated: January 7, 2009
Content Source: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion