Daily Dose: Trends in Obesity Prevalence in Adults with Diabetes

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On February 14, 2023, we reported on a study published in Obesity that analyzed trends in obesity prevalence and trends in control of cardiometabolic risk factors among National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants with diabetes from 1999 through 2020.

The study

The study included 6605 adults aged ≥20 years who reported receiving a diagnosis of diabetes from a physician. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, HbA1c, blood pressure (BP), cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured. All participants completed self-administered questionnaires on their age, sex, ethnicity, education level, smoking status, and whether they had taken prescription medication in the past 30 days. Medication usage was broken down into 3 categories: glucose-lowering, BP-lowering, and lipid-lowering.

The percentage of participants with obesity class I (22.5% to 26.5%), obesity class II (14.1% to 16.6%), and obesity class III (10.3% to 14.8%) increased from 1999-2002 to 2015-2020, respectively, whereas the proportion of adults with normal weight (17.1% to 12.7%) and overweight (35.9% to 29.2%) decreased during the same time periods. The proportion of participants who achieved glycemic control (HbA1c <7%) increased from 42.5% in the 1999-2002 timeframe to 51.8% in the 2007-2010 period, then decreased to 48.0% in the 2015-2020 period. The proportion of participants who achieved BP control (<140/90 mm Hg) increased from 1999-2002 (53.2%) to 2011–2014 (69.3%) and then decreased in 2015–2020 (65.9%).

Note from authors

“Addressing weight management in persons with diabetes should be given priority if cardiometabolic risk factor control is to improve in the population with diabetes.”

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