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

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.