Severe obesity in the US has dropped in recent years
Key takeaways:
- The percentage of adults with obesity increased by 13.6% from 2010 to 2020.
- The percentage of those with severe obesity decreased from 10.7% to 10.3% from 2021 to 2024.
Obesity trends have stayed stable in the last couple years, whereas severe obesity has trended downward, a recently published report suggested.
However, the percentage of people with a healthy weight has also decreased in the decade-plus.
“What stands out most is that younger adults experienced the greatest increase in BMI, while older adults saw a leveling off and even a decline in recent years,” Kersten Bartelt, RN, a research clinician with Epic Research, told Healio. “This shift suggests that different age groups may be experiencing unique influences when it comes to weight and health.”
According to Bartelt and colleagues, there have been recent contrasting reports on obesity trends in the United States, “with some reporting a peak in the rate of obesity and others reporting the rate of obesity will continue to climb through at least 2025.”
In the analysis, which was not peer reviewed, the researchers assessed the BMI classification of over 109 million patients who had an outpatient visit between the first quarter of 2010 and the third quarter of 2024.
They found that the percentage of adults with obesity — a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater — jumped from around 40% to 45% between 2010 to 2020, for a 13.6% increase.
This rate remained relatively stable through 2024.
Meanwhile, the rate of severe obesity — a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or greater — rose from 8.5% in 2010 to 10.7% in 2021 before decreasing to 10.3% in 2024.
“Public health efforts and clinical interventions often prioritize those at highest risk for obesity-related health complications, which could be driving more targeted weight loss in this group,” Bartelt suggested.
The percentage of patients with a healthy weight decreased from 27.7% in 2010 to 23.2% in 2024.
Bartelt and colleagues also reported that adults aged 18 to 39 years had the most significant increase in median BMI, which rose from 26.1 kg/m2 in 2010 to 27.2 kg/m2 in 2024 for a 4.4% increase.
Among adults aged 40 to 59 years, the median BMI increased from 28.6 kg/m2 in 2010 to 29.3 kg/m2 in 2024 for a 2.6% increase.
The median BMI among adults aged 60 to 75 years changed little between 2010 and 2020 and decreased though 2024.
Bartelt highlighted several possible explanations behind the findings, like “increased awareness of obesity-related health risks, lifestyle changes and advancements in weight management interventions.”
She told Healio that primary care providers “should recognize that although overall obesity rates have stabilized, younger adults are experiencing the most significant increases in BMI.”
“This suggests a need for early interventions, including preventive counseling on nutrition, physical activity and weight management strategies,” she added.
Bartelt noted that further research on obesity trends “should focus on understanding the factors driving these shifts, particularly the role of new weight-loss medications, lifestyle changes and health care interventions.”