Trends in the prevalence of obesity in the French adult population between1980 and 1991

OBJECTIVE: To determine changes in the prevalences of overweight and obesit y between 1980 and 1991 in French adults. DESIGN: Two cross-sectional studies were performed in 1980 and 1991 by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economics Studies in representa tive samples of the non-institutionalized French population using a similar random sampling of households from the last available national population census. Overweight and obesity were defined, based on reported height and w eight, by a body mass index (BMI)greater than or equal to 25 kg/m(2) and gr eater than or equal to 30 kg/m(2), respectively. As age and socioeconomic c lass (SEC) distributions changed between 1980 and 1991, results were compar ed before and after a direct age class and SEC standardization of the 1991 data, according to the 1980 population distribution. SUBJECTS: 6792 men and 7150 women in 1980, 7250 men and 7856 women in 1991, aged at least 20 y, about 1/2500(th) of the French non-institutionalized a dult population. RESULTS: In women, between 1980 and 1991, there were slight increases in th e prevalences of obesity (from 6.3% to 7.0%, P<0.08) and of overweight (26. 8% and 27.5%, not statistically significant NS), These increases were most pronounced in women aged 20-29 y (obesity: 1.4-2.1%, P<0.15; overweight: 8. 0-11.5%, P<0.01). In men, the corresponding prevalences were 6.4% and 6.5%, (NS), and 39.4% and 40.8% (NS). After standardization, the increases in th e prevalences of obesity and overweight were even higher between 1980 and 1 991 in women (the standardized prevalences in 1991 were respectively: 7.8% and 28.9%), but were unchanged in men. CONCLUSIONS: There were slight overall increases in the prevalences of over weight and obesity between 1980 and 1991 in both genders, which were most p ronounced among young women. Changes in the age and SEC distribution in the French population have limited the increase in the prevalences of overweig ht and obesity in women. These results, based on reported data, may underes timate the prevalences of overweight and obesity and their increase. Nevert heless, the prevalences of reported obesity are similar to those of other E uropean countries, such as Sweden and The Netherlands, and lower than in th e UK, USA and Canada.