The obesity level in the US has remained at about the same level for several years. This news comes from a report from the Center for Disease Control report in the NCHS Data Brief. The data actually come form the national health and Nutritional Examination Survey, or NHANES, using a body mass index (BMI) over 30 as determining obesity. The database comprises about 4,300 adults for each 2-year period, so it can be considered as fairly representative.

Obesity rates remain very high, at about 34% in 2005-2006 for men and women combined. It was about 32% in 2004-2005, but the difference was not statistically significant, i.e. it could have occurred by chance alone.

Let's hope that the trend to increased obesity is, in fact, really halted, after increases spanning the last 30 years. It remains shockingly high in African-American women (over 50%, even over 60% in those over 60). Much more remains to be done in educating people about the prevalence and risks of being overweight and obese. While it's truly 'the American disease', the rest of the world is following in our footsteps ...