Obesity and severe obesity continue to rise among U.S. adults

Bottom Line: Obesity and severe obesity continued to grow among adults in the United States between 2007-2008 and 2015-2016 but there were no significant overall changes among youth.

Why The Research Is Interesting: Obesity among adults has been on the rise since the 1980s but plateaued among youth between 2005-2006 and 2013-2014. This article offers updated estimates

Who and When: Data from 16,875 youth (ages 2 to 19) and 27,449 adults (20 years or older) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007-2008 to 2015-2016.

What (Study Measures): Prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among U.S. youth and adults

How (Study Design): This was national survey data.

Authors: Craig M. Hales, M.D., U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland and coauthors

Study Limitations: These include small sample sizes in the youngest age group.

Study Conclusions: Additional NHANES survey data will allow for continued monitoring of obesity and severe obesity among U.S. youth and adults.