Researchers in exercise science at BYU have recently published important, infrequent data that illustrate the seriousness of the obesity pandemic in the US.
The study, which was released in the Journal of Obesity, examined the long-term weight gain of more than 13,800 American adults. This was a unique data point discovered during the study of obesity. They discovered that over the course of a 10-year research, more than half of American adults gained 5 percent or more of their body weight.
Furthermore, about a fifth of American adults acquired 20 percent or more of their body weight, while over a third increased their weight by at least 10%.
“The U.S. obesity epidemic is not slowing down,” said study lead author Larry Tucker, a BYU professor of exercise science. “Without question, 10-year weight gain is a serious problem within the U.S. adult population.”
As part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an annual survey that looks at a nationally representative sample, study participants were chosen at random. The CDC funded the NHANES study series, which started in the early 1960s and became a continuous programme in 1999. The study also discovered that, using NHANES data, women gained weight substantially more quickly than males over a 10-year period, on average acquiring 12 pounds compared to 6 pounds. Additionally, there were racial differences in weight increase, with Asian males gaining the least weight (19.4 pounds on average) and Black women gaining the most (19.4 pounds) (2.9 pounds).
“In roughly 20 years, the prevalence of obesity increased by approximately 40% and severe obesity almost doubled,” Tucker said. “By knowing who is more likely to become obese, we can help health care providers and public health officials focus more on at-risk individuals.”
Young and middle-aged persons gained the most weight; as people age, they gain less weight.
Adults will have gained more than 45 pounds if they gain the typical amount of weight over each decade of adulthood, which would place many of them in the obese category. 42.4 percent of American adults are currently obese, according to the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services.
Compared to the 30.5 percent measured in 2000, there is a significant increase.
Parvathy Sukumaran 
