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.
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For more details and to read the full study, please visit the For The Media website.
(doi:10.1001/jama.2018.3060)
Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
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Journal
JAMA