Search
You are here : Articles > Weight Facts & Figures > Reduce the proportion of adults who are obese
February 06, 2012

Reduce the proportion of adults who are obese


Baseline Target
Objective Year Baseline 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2010
19-2 Obesity in adults (age adjusted, aged 20 years
and over) 1988-94 23% --- --- --- --- 30% --- --- --- --- 15%
Race and ethnicity
American Indian or Alaska Native only 1988-94 DSU --- --- --- --- DSU --- --- --- --- 15%
Asian or Pacific Islander only 1988-94 DNA --- --- --- --- DNC --- --- --- --- 15%
Asian only 1988-94 DNC --- --- --- --- DSU --- --- --- --- 15%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only 1988-94 DNC --- --- --- --- DSU --- --- --- --- 15%
Black or African American only 1988-94 30% --- --- --- --- DNA --- --- --- --- 15%
White only 1988-94 22% --- --- --- --- DNA --- --- --- --- 15%
2 or more races 1988-94 DNC --- --- --- --- DSU --- --- --- --- 15%
American Indian or Alaska Native; White 1988-94 DNC --- --- --- --- DSU --- --- --- --- 15%
Black or African American; White 1988-94 DNC --- --- --- --- DSU --- --- --- --- 15%
Hispanic or Latino 1988-94 DSU --- --- --- --- DSU --- --- --- --- 15%
Mexican American 1988-94 29% --- --- --- --- 31% --- --- --- --- 15%
Not Hispanic or Latino 1988-94 22% --- --- --- --- DNA --- --- --- --- 15%
Black or African American only, not Hispanic or Latino 1988-94 30% --- --- --- --- 39% --- --- --- --- 15%
White only, not Hispanic or Latino 1988-94 22% --- --- --- --- 30% --- --- --- --- 15%
Gender
Female 1988-94 25% --- --- --- --- 33% --- --- --- --- 15%
Male 1988-94 20% --- --- --- --- 27% --- --- --- --- 15%
Family income level
Lower income level (<=130% of poverty threshold) 1988-94 29% --- --- --- --- 35% --- --- --- --- 15%
Higher income level (>130% of poverty threshold) 1988-94 22% --- --- --- --- 29% --- --- --- --- 15%
Disability status                        
Persons with disabilities 1991-94 30% --- --- --- --- 42% --- --- --- --- 15%
Persons without disabilities 1991-94 23% --- --- --- --- 28% --- --- --- --- 15%
Select populations                        
Age groups                        
Persons aged 20 to 39 years (not age adjusted) 1988-94 18% --- --- --- --- 26% --- --- --- --- NA
Persons aged 40 to 59 years (not age adjusted) 1988-94 28% --- --- --- --- 34% --- --- --- --- NA
Persons aged 60 years and older (not age                        
adjusted) 1988-94 24% --- --- --- --- 33% --- --- --- --- NA
Persons with arthritis 1988-94 30% --- --- --- --- 41% --- --- --- --- 15%
Persons without arthritis 1988-94 21% --- --- --- --- 27% --- --- --- --- 15%
Persons with diabetes 1988-94 41% --- --- --- --- 54% --- --- --- --- 15%
Persons without diabetes 1988-94 22% --- --- --- --- 29% --- --- --- --- 15%
Persons with high blood pressure 1988-94 38% --- --- --- --- 50% --- --- --- --- 15%
Persons without high blood pressure 1988-94 18% --- --- --- --- 25% --- --- --- --- 15%
 
 
DATA ISSUES
--- = Data are not available.
BSL = Baseline data available for this year. See Baseline column.
DNA = Data have not been analyzed.
DNC = Data for specific population are not collected.
DSU = Data do not meet the criteria for statistical reliability, data quality, or confidentiality.
NA = Not applicable.
 
 
DATA SOURCE
19-2 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), CDC, NCHS.

Additional Information

Numerator: Number of persons aged 20 years and older with a BMI equal to or greater than 30.0

Denominator: Number of persons aged 20 years and older.

Population Targeted: U.S. civilian, noninstitutionalized population.

The NHANES obtains measured weights and heights without shoes. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by the square of height in meters.

BMI will be used as a proxy for overweight and obesity in adults until a better measure of body fat is developed. In 1997, a Consultation on Obesity convened by the World Health Organization recommended standardizing the classification of overweight and obesity. Overweight was defined as a BMI of 25.0 or greater and obesity was defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater. Further classification of obesity was made as follows: 30.0-34.9 was defined as Class I obesity, 35.0-39.9 as Class II, and 40.0 or greater as Class III.

The Expert Panel on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, convened by NIH, recently adopted general concepts of the World Health Organization classification system1, 2 and it has now been endorsed by more than 50 professional medical societies, consumer groups, and government agencies. For this objective, therefore, a BMI cutoff point of 30.0 was chosen for adults aged 20 years and older. Since 1960, essentially all of the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in adults in the United States has occurred at a BMI greater than or equal to 30.0.

Pregnant women are excluded from the numerator and denominator.

Data (except those for people with chronic conditions) are age adjusted to the 2000 standard population using the age groups 20-39, 40-59, and 60 years and over. Age-adjusted rates are weighted sums of age-specific rates.