title: Uncomplicated obesity in an African American population seeking medical weight loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is highly prevalent and adds greatly to the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. However, a subset of the obese has been identified who do not appear to carry this risk. Some studies suggest that anthropomorphic correlates of risk, such as waist circumference, differ between African Americans and Whites and features of uncomplicated obesity have not been well characterized in this population. The goal of our study was to determine the prevalence and associated features of uncomplicated obesity, including relationships to waist circumference and the achievement of weight loss in primarily African American patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient medically supervised weight loss program located at a teaching hospital in Washington, DC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Predominately adult African American females.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one percent of our population had no documented metabolic or cardiovascular disease. This group was on average younger, but had similar waist circumference (44 +/- 13.8 vs 44 +/- 6.6 inches) and achieved similar mean weight loss at 3 months (9.9 +/- 10.4 vs 10.3 +/- 12.4 lbs.) as the group with comorbid conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Waist circumference was not an indicator of risk among African American women and achieved weight loss did not depend on pre-existing comorbidities.
authors.affiliation: Howard University College of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington, DC 20060, USA. dtapscott@howard.edu
authors.forename: Denia
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tapscott
authors.affiliation: Howard University College of Medicine,Washington, DC 20060, USA.
authors.forename: Monet D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Bernard
authors.affiliation: Howard University College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Washington, DC 20060, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Mellman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015431:Weight Loss