National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Overweight and Obesity Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) How many American adults are overweight or obese? How many American children are overweight or obese? What is the difference between overweight and obese? Why are so many people overweight or obese today? How does overweight and obesity affect your health? Which groups of adults have the highest rate of obesity? In which adults do we see the greatest increase in obesity? What can be done about this major public health problem? What are the costs associated with overweight and obesity? What is CDC doing to address the problem of overweight and obesity? What does CDC recommend to help people lose weight? How many American adults are overweight or obese? In 1999, an estimated 61 percent of U.S. adults were either overweight or obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more. In 2000, a total of 38.8 million American adults met the classification of obesity, defined as having a body mass index score of 30 or more. To read more about American adult overweight and obesity trends, visit CDC, Nutrition and Physical Activity, Obesity and Overweight: Obesity Trends http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/index.htm CDC, Nutrition and Physical Activity, Obesity and Overweight: Body Mass Index (BMI) http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/bmi.htm
How many American children are overweight or obese? Today there are nearly twice as many overweight children and almost three times as many overweight adolescents as there were in 1980. Results of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999) showed that 13 percent of children and adolescents were overweight. To read more about childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity, visit CDC, Nutrition and Physical Activity, Obesity and Overweight: Trends http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/index.htm National Center for Health Statistics (NHANES), Prevalence of Overweight Among Children and Adolescents: United States, 1999 http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overwght99.htm Obesity, Overweight Children and Adolescents http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm What is the difference between overweight and obese? An adult is considered "overweight" when he/she is are above a healthy weight, which varies according to a person's height. An individual is overweight when their BMI is between 25 29.9. The standard used by researchers to define a person's weight according to their height is "body mass index" (BMI). An adult with a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. For example, for a 5'4" woman, this means that she is 30 or more pounds over her healthy weight. To calculate your BMI and read more about the difference between overweight and obesity, visit CDC, Nutrition and Physical Activity, Obesity and Overweight: Body Mass Index (BMI) http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/bmi.htm CDC, Nutrition and Physical Activity, Obesity and Overweight: Defining Overweight and Obesity http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/defining.htm Why are so many people overweight or obese today?
There are a number of factors that influence overweight or obesity, including Behavior eating too many calories while not getting enough physical activity. Environment home, work, school, or community can provide barriers to or opportunities for an active lifestyle. Genetics heredity plays a large role in determining how susceptible people are to overweight and obesity. Genes also influence how the body burns calories for energy or stores fat. Behavioral and environmental factors are the main contributors to overweight and obesity and provide the greatest opportunities for prevention and treatment. To read more about the reasons for overweight and obesity, visit Obesity, Overweight and Obesity at a Glance http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_glance.htm Obesity, Overweight Children and Adolescents http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm CDC, Office of Genetics and Disease Prevention, Obesity and Genetics: A Public Health Perspective http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/info/perspectives/obesity.htm How does overweight and obesity affect your health? If you are overweight, you are more likely to develop health problems; such as, heart disease stroke diabetes cancer (such as colon cancer, endometrial cancer, and postmenopausal breast cancer) gallbladder disease sleep apnea (interrupted breathing during sleep) osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints) The more overweight you are, the more likely you are to have health problems. Weight loss and regular exercise can help improve the harmful effects of being overweight.
Studies show if you are overweight or obese, losing 5 10% of your body weight can improve your health. To read more about how overweight and obesity affect your health, visit National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), You Know the Health Risk of Being Overweight http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/pubs/health.htm Obesity, Overweight and Obesity:The Health Consequences http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_consequences.htm Which groups of adults have the highest rate of obesity? Using the definition of obesity as a BMI of 30 of greater Women 26 percent of all adult women are obese, while 20.6 percent of men are obese. Among women, obesity rates are higher among minority women 39 percent of black women and 36.1 percent of Hispanic women are obese. Adults aged 55 64 years have the greatest percentage of obesity, for both men (27.2 percent) and women (33.7 percent). In which adults do we see the greatest increase in obesity? Between 1991 and 2000, the greatest increase in obesity has been found in the following groups: 18 to 29-year-olds Those with some college education Hispanics Those living in the South For more information about overweight and obesity trends, visit Centers For Disease Control, Nutrition and Division of Physical Activity, Obesity Trends http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/prev_char.htm Obesity: Overweight and Obesity: At a Glance http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_glance.htm
What can be done about this major public health problem? The Surgeon General recently called for a broad approach to avoid and reduce obesity. He challenged families, schools, work sites, health care providers, communities, and the media to work together to prevent and reduce obesity through Communication by educating, motivating, and empowering decision makers at all levels to create healthier communities. Action by helping Americans balance healthy eating with regular physical activity. Research and Evaluation by improving the general public's understanding of the causes, prevention, and treatment of overweight and obesity. To read more about what can be done, visit The Guide to Community Preventive Services* http://www.thecommunityguide.org/pubrecs_f.html CDC, PDF file of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Oct. 26, 20001/Vol 50/No. RR-18, Increasing Physical Activity: A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services** http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr5018.pdf **You will need Acrobat Reader (a free application) to view and print this document. Obesity, Overweight and Obesity: What Can You Do? http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_whatcanyoudo.htm Obesity: A Vision for the Future http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_vision.htm What are the costs associated with overweight and obesity? In 2000, the cost of obesity in the United States was more than $117 billion. Poor nutrition and physical inactivity account for some 300,000 premature deaths in the United States each year.
To read more about the cost of overweight and obesity, visit Obesity: Economic Consequences http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/1_3.htm What is CDC doing to address the problem of overweight and obesity? In October 2000, CDC's Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity funded a number of state health departments to help them develop and carry out targeted nutrition and physical activity interventions in an effort to prevent chronic diseases, especially obesity. CDC, Division of Nutrition and Physical Actvity, CDC's State-based Nutrition and Physical Activity Program to Prevent Chronic Diseases, Including Obesity http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/state_programs/index.htm What does CDC recommend to help people lose weight? The safest and most effective way to lose weight is to reduce calories and increase physical activity. It is best to consult with your personal physician or health care professional for advice to meet your needs. Government research and recommendations can provide the facts based on science so that people can make informed choices about appropriate weight loss. The fact is the majority of people who are attempting weight loss are not using the correct method to achieve or maintain positive results. For more information about recommendations, visit USDA The Food Guide Pyramid http://www.nal.usda.gov:8001/py/pmap.htm Obesity: Health Weight Advice for Consumers http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_advice.htm