Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions

Obesity and Health Risks

Study looks at prevalence in adults and youth

Publish date:: November 24, 2015

More than one-third of adults and 17% of youth in the US were obese in 2011 to 2014, with the prevalence of obesity higher among women than among men overall, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination cross-sectional survey. Results from the survey found:

• The prevalence of obesity was slightly >36% in adults and 17% in youth.

• The prevalence of obesity was higher in women (38.3%) than in men (34.3%). Among all youth, no difference was seen by sex.

• The prevalence of obesity was higher among middle-aged (40.2%) and older (37.0%) adults than younger (32.3%) adults.

• The prevalence of obesity was higher among non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic adults and youth than among non-Hispanic Asian adults and youth.

• From 1999 through 2014, obesity prevalence increased among adults and youth.

Citation: Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Fryar CD, Flegal KM. Prevalence of obesity among adults and youth: United States, 2011-2014. NCHS data brief, no 219. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics, 2015.

Commentary: After years of steady increase in the prevalence of obesity, this new data is disappointing, as we had hoped that the prevalence of obesity would reverse as more people seem to be aware of obesity as a critical health issue. With the increase in obesity, it is likely that increases in diabetes and hypertension will follow. There are three approaches to obesity that are available: lifestyle modification, medications, and bariatric surgery. It is important that we strongly address a primary prevention approach, emphasizing the importance of a healthy diet and exercise for all of our patients, and utilize medications and bariatric surgery where indicated.^1,2 —Neil Skolnik, MD

1. Garber AJ, Abrahamson MJ, Barzilay JI, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists’ comprehensive diabetes management algorithm 2013 consensus statement. Endocr Pract. 2013;19(Suppl 2):1-48.

2. Jensen MD, Ryan DH, Apovian CM, et al. 2013 AHA/ACC/TOS Guideline for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines and The Obesity Society. [Published online ahead of print November 12, 2013]. Circulation. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.0000437739.71477.ee.

This Week's Must Reads

Consider potential cognitive complications prior to androgen deprivation therapy,

Diabetes raises risk of prostate cancer mortality in obese men,

Salivation inhibition fails to reduce radioiodine toxicity in prostate cancer,

Highest positive surgical margin predicts poor survival after prostatectomy,

Young minority men are underinformed about prostate cancer screening,

Must Reads in Obesity

Survival at ‘overweight’ BMI surpasses ‘normal’,

Physical Activity & Incidence of CHD & CVD in Women, JAMA Netw Open; ePub 2019 Mar 15; LaCroix, et al

Coffee Consumption & Plasma Biomarkers, Am J Clin Nutr; ePub 2019 Mar 5; Hang, et al

Fitness & BMI in Adolescence Tied to Adult Disability, Ann Intern Med; ePub 2019 Feb 12; Henriksson, et al

BMI Measurements and Intensive BP Management , Am J Med; ePub 2019 Feb 2; Oxlund, et al