STATISTICS, PREVALENCE AND WORLDWIDE TRENDS OF OBESITY
In 1991, only 4 states in the U.S.A. had obesity prevalence rates between 15% and 19%, and no state had prevalence rates greater than 20%. In contrast, by the year 2000, only 4 states had an obesity prevalence rate less than 20%. Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia had obesity prevalence rates greater than 30%. In terms of the overall population, recent statistics show that the prevalence of being either obese (BMI greater than 30 kg/m2) or overweight, (BMI between 25-29.9 kg/m2) for someone 20 years or older in the United States is 67% for men and 57% for women. That means that over 97 million Americans are either overweight or obese, and that number is increasing. Approximately 30% percent of the entire female and 28% of the entire male population of the United States are classified as being obese. There are differences across racial and sex lines in the prevalence of obesity. For example, approximately 50% of African-American woman are obese, as compared to 40% of Hispanic women and 30% of White women. Hispanic men have a rate of being either overweight or obese of 75%, as compared to 67% of White men, and 61% of African-American men. The incidence of obesity also varies with age. Both men and women have an increased prevalence of being overweight or obese until the age of 60, after which time the prevalence decreases. Socioeconomic factors play a role, with lower income women tending to have a higher prevalence of being overweight or obese. Remember, as with all statistics, these numbers are just information about the general population. If you personally have a BMI greater than 30 kg/m2, it does not matter if you are Black, White, Hispanic, or God forbid Armenian, you are classified as being obese 100% of the time! The overall statistics for sex and race related to the risk for obesity are illustrated in the table below.
In 1991, only 4 states in the U.S.A. had obesity prevalence rates between 15% and 19%, and no state had prevalence rates greater than 20%. In contrast, by the year 2000, only 4 states had an obesity prevalence rate less than 20%. Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia had obesity prevalence rates greater than 30%. In terms of the overall population, recent statistics show that the prevalence of being either obese (BMI greater than 30 kg/m2) or overweight, (BMI between 25-29.9 kg/m2) for someone 20 years or older in the United States is 67% for men and 57% for women. That means that over 97 million Americans are either overweight or obese, and that number is increasing. Approximately 30% percent of the entire female and 28% of the entire male population of the United States are classified as being obese. There are differences across racial and sex lines in the prevalence of obesity. For example, approximately 50% of African-American woman are obese, as compared to 40% of Hispanic women and 30% of White women. Hispanic men have a rate of being either overweight or obese of 75%, as compared to 67% of White men, and 61% of African-American men. The incidence of obesity also varies with age. Both men and women have an increased prevalence of being overweight or obese until the age of 60, after which time the prevalence decreases. Socioeconomic factors play a role, with lower income women tending to have a higher prevalence of being overweight or obese. Remember, as with all statistics, these numbers are just information about the general population. If you personally have a BMI greater than 30 kg/m2, it does not matter if you are Black, White, Hispanic, or God forbid Armenian, you are classified as being obese 100% of the time! The overall statistics for sex and race related to the risk for obesity are illustrated in the table below.
Increase in Overweight and Obesity Prevalence Among U.S. Adults* by Racial and Ethnic Group
Source: CDC, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Flegal et. al. JAMA. 2002; 288:1723-7 and IJO. 1998;22:39-47. *Ages 20 and older for 1999 to 2000 and ages 20 to 74 for 1988 to 1994.
The obesity statistics for children are even more troubling. Up to one-third of children and adolescents in the United States are either obese or considered at risk for becoming obese. These kids are above the 95th percentile for weight in the height-weight charts. The rate of being overweight or obese has doubled for children over the past 2 decades. The steady increase in childhood obesity takes on special meaning when one considers the long-term implications of being overweight for children. The relationship between childhood and adult obesity is especially strong. If the child is obese at age 4, then he or she has a 20% chance of being an obese adult. If an adolescent is obese, then he or she has an 80% chance of being obese as an adult. Surely prevention of childhood obesity must be thought of as a national crisis and tackled now to prevent years of future medical, emotional, and financial problems for both the individual and society. There is no doubt that the United States has one of the highest rates of being overweight or obese, but do other countries having similar problems? The International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) estimates that 300 million people worldwide are obese. Statistics show that even in developing countries there is a steady rise in obesity rates.
Rather surprisingly, the latest statistics for Europe show that Finland, Germany, Greece, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Malta have higher rates of being overweight than the United States. There is also an increasing epidemic of childhood obesity in Europe as there is in the U.S.A. England and Poland are noted to have the steepest acceleration in childhood obesity rates. Malta, Sicily, Gibraltar, Crete, Spain, Portugal, and Italy now report that greater than 30% of children between the ages of 7 and 11 are overweight or obese. Crete, England, Italy, Cyprus, Republic of Ireland, Greece, Bulgaria, and Spain report that greater than 20% of children between the ages of 13 to 17 are either overweight or obese. A problem that seemed to be initially limited to the United States is now rapidly becoming a global health issue.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment