Weight gain continues in the 1990s: 10-year trends in weight and overweight from the CARDIA study

The prevalence of obesity increased in the United States through the 1980s. The authors examined 10-year aging and secular (time-related) trends in th e Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) cohort for indi cations of whether these trends are continuing and for ages of peak weight gain in young adults. CARDIA is a population-based, prospective study of 5, 115 African-American and White men and women aged 18-30 years at baseline. Body weight and overweight prevalence were measured at five time points fro m 1985-1986 to 1995-1996. Linear, mixed-model regression was used to partit ion weight gain into that due to secular trends and that due to aging. Prev alence of overweight (body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 25.0 k g/m(2)) increased markedly, and prevalence of severe obesity (BMI greater t han or equal to 40.0 kg/m(2)) doubled in all race-sex groups. Each race-sex group experienced significant secular weight gains, ranging from 0.96 kg/y ear (95% confidence interval: 79, 1.13) in African-American women to 0.55 k g/year (95% confidence interval: 0.41, 0.69) in White women. Significant se cular gains were present during each follow-up period. Each race-sex group also experienced significant weight increases related to aging during their early to midtwenties. Secular trends for weight gain are continuing in CAR DIA, but the magnitude of weight gain differed among the four race-sex grou ps.