Overweight Population Now Lower than Obese Population in the U.S

Citizens of the U.S have set a new record as adults who are obese now are greater in population compared to those who are only overweight, as per a new report published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

A tally by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis estimated that 67.6 million Americans who were above the age of 25 were obese as of 2012, while an additional 65.2 million were overweight. The count was based on the information obtained between 2007 and 2012 as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, an ongoing study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Women were at a higher risk of being obese than overweight, with 37% if women more likely of being obese compared to the latter at 30%. In a nutshell, two out of every three women in the United States were above a normal weight.

The number of men who were obese was nearly as much as the women, at 35%. But that percentage was lower than the 40% of the men who were in the overweight category. Combining both of the group results in three out of every four men in the U.S exceeding the normal weight.

African Americans had the largest percentage of obesity among men and women alike- 39% for the former and 57% for the latter. The researchers found that 17% of black women and 7% of black men were extremely obese, which means their BMI (Body Mass Index) was higher than 40!

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of a variety of chronic health conditions, including Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Extra weight can also make people more vulnerable to certain types of cancer. The more you weigh, the greater the health risk, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.