Research articleAttempting to lose weight: Specific practices among U.S. adults
Introduction
The current national preoccupation with weight loss and dieting is demonstrated by the fact that Americans now spend over $33 billion annually on related products and services.1 Despite these expenditures, Americans are getting heavier—nearly 30.5% are obese.2 Obesity is a known risk factor for numerous chronic diseases,3 and clinical trials have shown that even modest weight loss can reduce risk factors for such diseases.4 Current guidelines recommend that all individuals trying to lose weight use both reduced caloric intake and increased physical activity.4 Even with the recent increase in obesity,2 few national studies on specific weight-loss strategies have been published since the early 1990s.5, 6, 7 A better understanding of current weight-control strategies among Americans may help the promotion of more effective weight-management practices.
Data from the 1998 National Health Interview Survey were used to describe the prevalence of weight-loss strategies among U.S. adults and are analyzed in 2003. The objectives of this article were to describe characteristics of people trying to lose weight and, among those who reported doing so, to describe specific weight-loss strategies and characteristics of those who used the recommended weight-loss strategies of calorie reduction and increased physical activity.
Section snippets
Methods
The National Health Interview Survey is an annual survey of non-institutionalized civilian adults in the United States. It is operated by the National Center for Health Statistics, and data are collected by the U.S. Bureau of the Census through face-to-face interviews. The National Health Interview Survey uses a stratified, multistage probability design to sample a U.S. non-institutionalized household population. The overall response rate for sampled adults was 73.9%.8 Analyses were conducted
Results
The prevalence of those trying to lose weight was 24.3% for men and 37.6% for women (Table 1). In all sociodemographic categories, more women than men were attempting weight loss. Among both genders, the lowest prevalence was among people aged ≥65 years as compared to younger counterparts. The proportion of people trying to lose weight increased with increasing level of education. The prevalence also rose with BMI; among men the prevalence of those trying to lose weight climbed from 6% to 28%
Discussion
This national survey demonstrates that 31% of U.S. adults were currently trying to lose weight. Within that group, the following findings were documented: (1) the three most common weight-loss strategies were eating fewer calories, eating less fat, and exercising more; (2) one third of those attempting weight loss engaged in the recommended strategy of eating fewer calories and exercising more; and (3) although more women than men were trying to lose weight, both genders followed similar
Acknowledgements
No financial support was provided for this manuscript.
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