Weighting game: America's obesity rate is much higher than 6 decades ago

Weighting game

‍While there’s nothing particularly new about people trying to manage and keep their weight down, the number of people who may be tempted to experiment with medical remedies like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro is higher than ever, as obesity rates have risen in the US.

The CDC has been taking periodic surveys of the nation’s health since 1960 when the overall share of obese US adults (those whose Body Mass Index exceeded 30) was just 13%. That figure, as well as the number of Americans who are severely obese (BMI at or over 40), has soared in the years since, hitting 43% according to the latest survey in 2018. The rises have affected men and women similarly too, with male obesity rising ~4x from 1962-2018, and the share of severely obese women in the US soaring more than 10x across the same period.

‍Some experts suggest the late 1970s and early 1980s as points at which the obesity epidemic picked up in the US, with many nodding to increasing levels of dietary fat, sugar, and ultra-processed foods as possible causes. However, even with that backdrop, the acceleration in obesity rates in recent years has been stark — and the full effects are being felt today. Indeed, obesity in America costs an estimated $260 billion each year in inpatient and outpatient care and causes thousands of preventable illnesses and deaths annually according to the National Institute of Health. Given the scale of the issue, many have been waiting for a "magic solution" for years.