There are renewed warnings in the US as new research found obesity rates have soared to crisis levels.

Independent research published by the American Heart Association’s found obesity rates among US adults and children rose sharply in recent years and by 2023, 40% of adults and 20% of youth met the criteria for obesity.

“Obesity is a leading public health concern, linked to higher risks for cardiovascular disease and premature death,” said study author Anum Minhasan assistant professor of medicine in cardiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore. “Examining national trends in obesity can help determine which segments of the population may benefit the most from screening, how resources should be allocated for preventive efforts and the potential impact of implementing public health initiatives to reduce the burden of obesity.”

Minhas added the research is believed to be the most contemporary evaluation of obesity trends among US adults and youth.

In the study, researchers defined obesity as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m² or higher (except for Asian populations where distinct race-specific cutoffs were used). Obesity can increase the risks for health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Severe obesity, which study researchers defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 40 kg/m², carries the highest risks for cardiovascular disease and death.

The first ever guideline from the American Heart Association on the Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Management of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic disease, published last month states that obesity is the first stage of cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic syndrome. The guideline emphasizes obesity management in the form of diet and lifestyle modifications as essential for a longer, healthier life.

In this study, researchers examined how rates of various levels of obesity changed over more than 20 years, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Rates and prevalence of obesity, severe obesity and abdominal obesity were analysed, and potential trends by age, sex, race and ethnic groups were measured.

Key findings include:

• Among adults, researchers found notable increases in the prevalence of obesity (30% to 41%, respectively), severe obesity (5% to 10%, respectively) and abdominal obesity (48% to 61%, respectively) in 1999 vs. 2023.
• Among youth, researchers noted about a 30% increase for overall obesity, a 50% increase for severe obesity and a three-fold increase in abdominal obesity when comparing 1999 vs. 2023.
• Disparities in obesity prevalence were also found in the analysis, with women being more likely to have severe obesity (13%) and abdominal obesity (70%) compared to men, who were less likely to have severe obesity (7%) and abdominal obesity (51%) as of the last time data was taken in 2023. The gap between women and men could be due to women having more hormonal differences and changes throughout their lives than men, researchers noted.
• Throughout the period studied, non-Hispanic Black people consistently had the highest prevalence of all obesity compared to all other demographic groups.

Minhas said the findings have major implications for cardiovascular disease and mortality.

“We must increase the availability and use of individual and population-level initiatives to target the rising epidemic of obesity and support people with obesity,” she said. “This includes pursuing a better understanding of which patients could benefit most from weight loss medications or other treatments.

“There are several effective weight loss therapies, including GLP-1 receptor agonist medications, bariatric surgery and other treatment options, confirmed in recent studies to have a positive impact on metabolic risk factors (blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels) and cardiovascular health, approved by the FDA and recommended in evidence-based treatment guidelines.”