Increasing trends in waist circumference and abdominal obesity among US adults.
OBJECTIVE
Some studies have shown that abdominal obesity may be a better predictor than overall obesity for disease risks and all-cause mortality. This study sought to examine the recent trends in waist circumference (WC) among adults in the United States.


METHODS
Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during 1988-1994, 1999-2000, 2001-2002, and 2003-2004 were analyzed to estimate the trends in the mean WC and the prevalence of abdominal obesity. Pooled t tests were used to test the differences in estimates between two time periods.


RESULTS
Between the periods of 1988-1994 and 2003-2004, the age-adjusted mean WC increased from 96.0 cm to 100.4 cm among men (p < 0.001) and from 89.0 cm to 94.0 cm among women (p < 0.001); the age-adjusted prevalence of abdominal obesity increased from 29.5% to 42.4% among men (p < 0.001) and from 47.0% to 61.3% among women (p < 0.001). Between the periods of 1999-2000 and 2003-2004, a significant increase occurred in mean WC only among men (from 99.0 cm to 100.4 cm; p = 0.03) and in the prevalence of abdominal obesity among both men (from 37.0% to 42.2%; p = 0.03) and women (from 55.3% to 61.3%; p = 0.04). People with a BMI of 25 to 29 kg/m2 had a greater relative increase in abdominal obesity.


CONCLUSIONS
The mean WC and the prevalence of abdominal obesity among U.S. adults have increased continuously during the past 15 years. Over one-half of U.S. adults had abdominal obesity in the period of 2003-2004.
Li
Chaoyang
C
Division of Adult and Community Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, MS K66, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. cli@cdc.gov
Ford
Earl S
ES
McGuire
Lisa C
LC
Mokdad
Ali H
AH
D050153:Abdominal Fat / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio