National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

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Overweight and Obesity
Obesity Trends

Percentage of United States Adults Who Use Specific Weight Control Practices By Body Mass Index**
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2000);
Self-reported data

According to the self-reported data of CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, most participants claimed that they were trying to lose or maintain weight. Only 20.1 percent of overweight participants (those with a BMI of 25 to 29.9) and 13.5 percent of obese participants (those with a BMI of 30 and above) claimed they were not trying to lose or maintain their weight.

This table reflects the percentages of individuals who use specific weight control practices by body mass index.

Type of Weight Control Practices	Body Mass Index
	Total %	Normal %	Overweight %	Obese %
Weight Control Practices
Trying to lose weight	38.5	20.7	45.0	65.7
Trying to maintain weight	35.9	43.6	34.9	20.8
Neither	25.6	35.7	20.1	13.5
Physical Activity
Inactive	27.0	23.8	26.0	35.6
Irregularly active	28.2	27.8	28.7	28.1
Regular not intense	30.5	31.6	31.1	27.2
Regular intense	14.3	16.8	14.2	9.1
Fruit and vegetable intake, servings per day
Less than 1	4.0	3.9	3.5	5.2
1 to less than 3	33.1	31.0	34.1	35.7
3 to less than 5	38.5	38.3	39.1	38.0
5 or more	24.4	26.8	23.3	21.1
Professional advice on weight*
Lose	17.3	3.3	15.6	42.8
Gain	1.0	1.7	0.6	0.4
Maintain	2.7	3.2	2.8	1.9
None	79	91.8	81.0	54.9

*Questions were asked only to participants trying to lose or maintain weight; percentages are for persons who had a routine checkup in the previous 12 months.

Source: CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
BRFSS is the world’s largest telephone survey that tracks health risks in the United States. Information from the survey is used to improve the health of the American people. Questions relate to personal behaviors that increase risk for one or more of the ten leading causes of death in the United States.

According to the self-reported data of CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, most participants claimed that they were trying to lose or maintain weight. Only 20.1 percent of overweight participants (those with a BMI of 25 to 29.9) and 13.5 percent of obese participants (those with a BMI of 30 and above) claimed they were not trying to lose or maintain their weight.

**as determined by Body Mass Index (BMI). An adult who has a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.

Reference:

Mokdad AH, Bowman BA, Ford ES, et al. The continuing epidemics of obesity and diabetes in the United States. JAMA. September 12, 2001; 286(10):1195-1200.

Overweight and Obesity Obesity Trends

Percentage of United States Adults Who Use Specific Weight Control Practices By Body Mass Index** Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2000); Self-reported data

Related Links

Overweight and Obesity
Obesity Trends

Percentage of United States Adults Who Use Specific Weight Control Practices By Body Mass Index**
Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (2000);
Self-reported data