Body weight status of adults: United States, 1997-98.

Objective: This report presents estimates for underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obesity for U.S. adults aged 18 years and over. Based on self-reported height and weight, data are shown for selected population subgroups for both sexes and for men and women separately.

Methods: Body weight status of U.S. adults was estimated using data from the 1997-98 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) for 68,556 adults aged 18 years and over and Body Mass Index (BMI) (weight/height2) criteria established by the World Health Organization (WHO). The NHIS is administered in households throughout the United States using computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI). The combined overall response rate in 1997-98 was 77.2%. Statistics shown in this report were age adjusted to the 2000 projected U.S. population.

Findings: Over one-half of adults (54.7%) were overweight and 1 in 5 (19.5%) were obese in 1997-98. Women (49.5%) were more likely than men (36.3%) to be of healthy weight although men and women were equally likely to be obese. Obesity was most prevalent among middle-aged adults, among black non-Hispanic adults and Hispanic adults, and among adults with less education and lower income. Rates of obesity by marital status differed by gender: married men (20.4%) had higher rates of obesity than separated and divorced men (16.8%), and married women (18.4%) had lower rates of obesity than separated and divorced women (23.2%). Obesity was lowest among adults living in the West and those living in a metropolitan statistical area (MSA), but outside the central city (i.e., the suburbs).

Conclusions: Overweight and obesity were widespread in the United States in 1997-98 and prevalence varied significantly by population subgroup.