New study examines U.S. trends in body mass index and obesity and finds improving numbers, driven in part by GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
America’s obesity rate is dropping for the first time in more than a decade, And the use of popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs may be helping drive the decrease, according to a new study.
Researchers examined national trends in body mass index (BMI) and obesity among 16.7 million U.S. adults, 18 and older.
From January 2013 to December 2022, the country’s mean body mass index rose annually …. moving from 29.65, which is considered overweight to 30.24, which is considered obese.
But in 2023, the trend turned around with BMI dipping slightly, according to the results. Overall, the percentage of adults with obesity dropped from 46.2% in 2021 to 45.6% in 2023.
The most notable decrease was seen in the South, among people 66-75 and females.
A review of 2023 insurance claims found the South had the highest GLP-1 dispensing rate, followed by the Midwest, East and West.
Despite this positive trend in weight loss, the authors say obesity and BMI are imperfect measures for body fat and “future studies should investigate alternative body composition measures and potential causes for the observed shifts, including, GLP-1 proliferation or pandemic-associated demographic and behavior changes.”
Source: JAMA
Author Affiliations: Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Optum Life Sciences
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