Ten-year trends in overweight and obesity among Danish men and women aged 30-60 years

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide. Published data of the development of obesity among adult Danes is based primarily on self-reported information of body weight and height. The objective of the s tudy was, therefore, to describe the development over 10 y in moderate and severe overweight in Danish adults aged 30-60 y. METHOD: 1940 men and 1844 women, born in 1922, 1932, 1942 or 1952, particip ated in a first survey in 1982. A total of 808 men and 816 women, born in 1 932, 1942, 1952 or 1962, were included in a second survey in 1992. The surv eys originated in the Danish MONICA studies. Moderate and severe overweight were determined on the basis of body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: The prevalence of severe overweight (BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m(2)) increased from approximately 10 to 13% in men and from 9 to 11% in women (both P = 0.03), corresponding to an increase in the overweight D anish subjects of about 75.000 in this age group over the period. The incre ase was most pronounced in the young age groups. The proportion of severe o verweight in those 30 y old increased from 3.1 to 7.8% in women (P = 0.006) and from 5.0 to 9.4% in men (P = 0.045). In 1992, 8% of men with more than 12y of schooling were severely overweight, compared to 3% 10 y earlier (P = 0.045). In women with more than 12 y of schooling there was no difference , In the group with less than 7 y schooling, the proportion of severely ove rweight women increased from 12.8 to 19.8% (P = 0.02) and severely overweig ht men from 15.0 to 21.2% (P = 0.048). After adjustment for differences in age and education the proportion of severely overweight men remained greate r in 1992 compared to 1982. In women the proportion of severe overweight ha d increased among the 30 y olds only, but not the 40-60 y olds. DISCUSSION: The increase in obesity in the Danish population is in line wit h the general international increase. There is a considerable increase in t he proportion of adult Danes with a BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m(2) corresponding to an estimated extra 75.000 severely overweight 30-60 y old s in the period. The study also demonstrates that the increase in severe ov erweight is most pronounced among the men and the younger women.