The U.S. obesity rate remains around 40%, but severe obesity, particularly among women, has increased over the past decade, a new study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC) reports.
A survey conducted from 2021 to 2023 involving about 6,000 participants found that nearly 1 in 10 Americans reported severe obesity. The findings revealed women were nearly twice as likely as men to experience severe obesity.
The recent survey’s overall obesity rate showed little change from the previous survey conducted between 2017 and 2020. Dr. Samuel Emmerich, a CDC public health officer who led the study, stated that it is too early to determine whether new weight-loss drugs are having an impact on obesity levels. "We simply can’t see down to that detailed level to prescription medication use and compare that to changes in obesity prevalence," he said. "Hopefully that is something we can see in the future."
The study shows that overall obesity rates in the U.S. have remained stable in the past decade, while severe obesity has risen from nearly 8% in the 2013-2014 survey to almost 10% in the latest survey.
Obesity and severe obesity are determined using the body mass index (BMI), a measure that, while criticized, is still commonly used by doctors. Individuals with a BMI of 30 are classified as obese, and those with a BMI of 40 or higher are classified as having severe obesity.
"Seeing increases in severe obesity is even more alarming because that’s the level of obesity that’s most highly associated with some of the highest levels of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and lower quality of life," said Solveig Cunningham, an Emory University global health professor who specializes in obesity.
Cunningham, who did not participate in the study, indicated that the causes behind rising rates of severe obesity, particularly among women, are not fully understood and require further research.
Furthermore, the study found that obesity rates vary according to education level. About 32% of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher reported obesity, compared to approximately 45% of individuals with some college or a high school diploma or less.
A separate CDC report released earlier this month highlighted that in 2023, state obesity rates varied significantly, with West Virginia having the highest rate at over 41%, and Washington, D.C. the lowest at under 24%. Rates tended to be highest in the Midwest and South.
No U.S. state or territory had an obesity rate below 20%, and in 23 states, over one-third of adults were obese. "Sometimes, when you look at all that red, it’s really discouraging," said Dr. Alyson Goodman, who leads a CDC team focused on population health. However, she expressed optimism, noting recent advancements in understanding obesity as a metabolic disease and the development of new weight-loss interventions.
Professor Cunningham emphasized the importance of early prevention, starting in childhood, and preventing additional weight gain in individuals who already have obesity. "It’s really hard to get obesity to reverse at the individual level and at the population level," she said. "I guess it’s not surprising that we’re not seeing downward shifts in the prevalence of obesity."
A survey conducted from 2021 to 2023 involving about 6,000 participants found that nearly 1 in 10 Americans reported severe obesity. The findings revealed women were nearly twice as likely as men to experience severe obesity.
The recent survey’s overall obesity rate showed little change from the previous survey conducted between 2017 and 2020. Dr. Samuel Emmerich, a CDC public health officer who led the study, stated that it is too early to determine whether new weight-loss drugs are having an impact on obesity levels. "We simply can’t see down to that detailed level to prescription medication use and compare that to changes in obesity prevalence," he said. "Hopefully that is something we can see in the future."
The study shows that overall obesity rates in the U.S. have remained stable in the past decade, while severe obesity has risen from nearly 8% in the 2013-2014 survey to almost 10% in the latest survey.
Obesity and severe obesity are determined using the body mass index (BMI), a measure that, while criticized, is still commonly used by doctors. Individuals with a BMI of 30 are classified as obese, and those with a BMI of 40 or higher are classified as having severe obesity.
"Seeing increases in severe obesity is even more alarming because that’s the level of obesity that’s most highly associated with some of the highest levels of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and lower quality of life," said Solveig Cunningham, an Emory University global health professor who specializes in obesity.
Cunningham, who did not participate in the study, indicated that the causes behind rising rates of severe obesity, particularly among women, are not fully understood and require further research.
Furthermore, the study found that obesity rates vary according to education level. About 32% of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher reported obesity, compared to approximately 45% of individuals with some college or a high school diploma or less.
A separate CDC report released earlier this month highlighted that in 2023, state obesity rates varied significantly, with West Virginia having the highest rate at over 41%, and Washington, D.C. the lowest at under 24%. Rates tended to be highest in the Midwest and South.
No U.S. state or territory had an obesity rate below 20%, and in 23 states, over one-third of adults were obese. "Sometimes, when you look at all that red, it’s really discouraging," said Dr. Alyson Goodman, who leads a CDC team focused on population health. However, she expressed optimism, noting recent advancements in understanding obesity as a metabolic disease and the development of new weight-loss interventions.
Professor Cunningham emphasized the importance of early prevention, starting in childhood, and preventing additional weight gain in individuals who already have obesity. "It’s really hard to get obesity to reverse at the individual level and at the population level," she said. "I guess it’s not surprising that we’re not seeing downward shifts in the prevalence of obesity."
You may also like
Delhi Police Special Cell begins interrogation of notorious gangster Hashim Baba
Israeli Air Strikes in Lebanon Result in 492 Death, Escalating Tensions with Hezbollah
Hyderabad professor catches students' prank, cute video goes viral
Bhopal's Parsi Theatre Flourished During British Rule, Says Theatre Director At 'Sanskriti Parv-7'
