Study Finds that 75% of American Adults Will Be Overweight by 2015

In a new study published in the journal Epidemiologic Reviews, scientists find that the obesity level in the United States continues to climb. At this rate, by the year 2015, 75% of American adults will be overweight and 41% will be obese.

The World Health Organization has defined weight standards based on body mass index (BMI) to assess if an adult is overweight. The current parameters are as follows: individuals with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 (Kg/m2) are considered to be in the normal range. Adults with a BMI starting at 25 and all through 29.9 (Kg/m2) are considered overweight with individuals that have a BMI greater than 30 being considered obese.

The BMI can be determined by dividing a person's weight (in pounds) by their height (in inches) squared and then multiplying this number by a factor of 703.

BMI = weight (lbs)/height (inches) x height (inches), the resulting number is then multiplied by a factor of 703.

The study was conducted by Youfa Wang, Assistant Professor in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and May A. Beydoun, also from Johns Hopkins.

In their report, the researchers found that the prevalence of obesity and overweight has increased at a median rate of 0.3 to 0.8 percentage points during the past 30 years across a wide variety of socioeconomic groups. As a whole, the U.S obesity (BMI > 30) prevalence escalated from 13% in the 1960s to 32% in 2004.

The research team noted that minorities and low socioeconomic groups, including non-Hispanic black women and children, Mexican-American women and children, white women and black men of low socioeconomic status, Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans, particularly saw their obesity levels increase disproportionately.