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Guidelines on Overweight and Obesity: Electronic Textbook
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Introduction · Rationale · Methodology and Trial Evidence · Treatment Guidelines · References · Appendices
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List of Abbreviations · Guidelines Development Methodology · Literature Review · Description of Evidence · Special Populations · Obesity and Sleep Apnea · Body Mass Index Chart - How To Measure Obesity · Practical Dietary Therapy Information · Resource List · Glossary of Terms
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TABLES-Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity in U.S. Children · TABLES-Overweight or BMI Data for Puerto Rican-Americans, Cuban-Americans, and Selected Samples of American Indians, Asians, and Pacific Islanders · TABLES-Socioeconomic Status Differences in the Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity · Annotated Bibliography of Studies Specifically Designed To Achieve Weight Reduction in Special Populations

A.3.

Socioeconomic Status Differences in the Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity

  • a. Prevalence of overweight in U.S. adults by race/ethnicity, gender, and education, 1988-1991.

    b. Prevalence of overweight in U.S. adults by race/ethnicity, gender, and annual family income, 1988-1991.

    c. Prevalence of overweight in U.S. adults by age, race/ethnicity, gender, and occupation, 1988-1991.

    d. Age-adjusted percentage of people 20 years of age and older who are overweight (high BMI) by gender, race/ethnicity, and income level, 1988-1991.

    e. Percentage of medicare beneficiaries who are overweight by race, gender, and education, 1991.

    f. Percentage of medicare beneficiaries who are overweight by race, gender, and annual family income, 1991.

Note: Due to the fact that the prevalence estimates in this appendix are based on available published data, the definitions used to define overweight and obesity are not the same as those used by the panel.

Table III.A.3.a: Prevalence of Overweight* in U.S. Adults, by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Education, 1988-1991

  Black   Mexican American   White  
Gender <12y 12y >12y Total >12y 12y >12y Total <12y 12y >12y Total
Males 29 29 36 31 39 43 40 40 39 36 30 34
Females 55 51 49 52 53 40 47 49 39 38 30 35

* Overweight is defined as greater than or equal to27.8 kg/m2 for men and greater than or equal to27.3 kg/m2 for women.
Source: NCHS/CDC NHANES III Phase 1, 1988-1991 (760).

Table III.A.3.b: Prevalence of Overweight* in U.S. Adults, by Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Annual Family Income, 1988-1991

Black Mexican American White
Gender $10K $10-29,999 $30-49,999 $50,001+ Total $10K $10-29,999 $30-49,999 $50,001+ Total $10K $10-29,999 $30-49,999 $50,001 + Total
Males 23 31 34 42 31 33 39 45 48 40 33 35 36 31 34
Females 53 50 54 49 52 52 51 43 42 49 43 35 37 27 35

* Overweight is defined as greater than or equal to27.8 kg/m2 for men and greater than or equal to27.3 kg/m2 for women.
Source: NCHS/CDC NHANES III Phase 1, 1988-1991 (760).

Table III.A.3.c: Prevalence of Overweight* in U.S. Adults, by Age, Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Occupation, 1988-1991

  Black Mexican American White
Gender/
Age		 White Collar Blue Collar Farm Service Total White Collar Blue Collar Farm Service Total White Collar Blue Collar Farm Service Tota l
Males                              
25-44 28 35 15 32 31 46 32 30 36+ 35 30 31 24 30+ 30
45-64 44 35 15 38± 37 41 58 38 54+ 51 38 38 47 21 37
Females                              
25-44 47 48   55 48 48 40   41 46 27 38   31 29
45-64 56 55   66 60± 55 55   58 57 41 45±   43 42

* Overweight is defined as greater than or equal to 27.8 kg/m2 for men and greater than or equal to 27.3 kg/m2 for women.
± Estimate not reliable because of small sample size.
Source:  NCHS/CDC NHANES III Phase 1, 1988-1991 (760).

Table III.A.3.d: Age-Adjusted Percentage of People 20 Years of Age and Older Who Are Overweight (High BMI), by Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Income Level, 1988-1991

  Total Population Non Hispanic White Non Hispanic Black Mexican Americans
Sex and Poverty Sample Percent SE Sample Percent SE Sample Percent SE Sample Percent SE
Males                        
Below poverty 712 30.4 2.24 142 29.8 3.02 211 29.6 2.53 338 36.9 4.22
At or above poverty 3,609 31.9 1.00 1,625 32.3 1.02 724 32.8 1.65 621 40.6 1.02
Under 131% poverty 1,034 32.8 2.49 238 33.3 3.18 313 28.4 2.20 453 37.2 3.44
Over 350% pverty 954 29.0 1.34 664 28.7 1.39 162 36.4 3.31 105 46.1 5.72
Females                        
Below poverty 850 47.3 2.70 189 46.9 5.12 290 50.0 3.96 347 50.5 3.02
At or above poerty 2,710 32.2 1.20 1,442 30.1 1.34 637 49.0 1.61 540 44.4 2.89
Under 131% poverty 1,185 46.1 2.11 321 44.7 3.88 390 51.1 3.42 441 50.3 2.79
Over 350% poverty 732 28.0 2.30 504 26.4 2.39 116 46.1 3.11 97 4.0.0 6.81

*Includes data for racial/ethnic groups not shown separately.
Note:  BMI is an index used to relate weight to stature. For this analysis, overweight in men is defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 27.8 kg/m2; for women, it is defined as a BMI a 27.3 kg/m2.
Source: HHS, NHANES III, 1988-1991 (760).

Table III.A.3.e: Percentage of Medicare Beneficiaries Who Are Overweight*, by Race, Gender, and Education, 1991

  Black White
Gender/Age <HS HS >HS Total <HS HS >HS Total
Males                
65-74 32.1 33.9** 47.5** 34.0 34.0 30.1 25.5 29.8
75+ 20.1 14.9** 16.6** 21.8 18.1 11.1 11.1 15.0
All ages 27.4 26.5 35.5** 28.9 27.8 22.7 19.9 23.8
Females                
65-74 61.8 45.7 45.0** 54.1 40.6 34.5 27.9 34.6
75+ 44.7 12.3 43.9 40.2 29.2 21.9 19.6 24.7
All ages 55.2 32.7 44.6 48.7 36.2 29.6 24.6 30.9

* Overweight is defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 27.8 kg/m2 for males and greater than or equal to 27.3 kg/m2 for females.
** Based on samples of fewer than 30 persons.
Source:  Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey:  1991, Non-Institutionalized Persons only (N=9,721) (630).

Table III.A.3.f: Percentage of Medicare Beneficiaries Who Are Overweight*, by Race, Gender, and Annual Family Income, 1991

  Black White
Gender/ Age <$10,000 $10,001-
30,000		 $30,001-
50,000		 $50,001 + Unknown/ not rep Total <$10,000 $10,001- 30,000 $30,001 -50,000 $50,001 + Unknown/ not rep Total
Males                        
65-74 24.0 41.7 27.2 59.02** 0.0** 34.0 26.2 32.3 30.7** 23.9 25.6 29.8
75+ 17.8 27.9 -- -- 0.0 21.8 16.1 17.3 9.9 9.3 11.5 15.0
All ages 20.6 35.2 11.3 0.0** 0.0** 28.9** 22.0 26.3 22.7 18.0 19.8 23.8
Females                        
65-74 59.1 46.1 27.2 34.0** 0.0 54.1 43.2 36.3 25.7** 20.8 25.3 34.6
75+ 43.4 28.1 23.0 100.0** 0.0 40.2 27.7 24.4** 20.1** 18.2 20.0 24.7
All ages 53.0 38.2 29.3 30.5** 0.0 48.7** 37.9 31.4 23.1 20.6 23.8 30.9

* Overweight is defined as greater than or equal to27.8 kg/m2 for men and greater than or equal to 27.3 kg/m2 for women.
**Based on samples of fewer than 30 persons.
Source:  Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey: 1991, Non-Institutionalized Persons only (N=9,721) (630).
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