Background: Among adolescents, obesity and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) contribute to adult cardiovascular disease risk. By parent report, obesity prevalence in the USA was highest in the South.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of obesity and MetS by US division and region.
Methods: We used in-person assessment of 4600 US adolescents age 12-19 years participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2014.
Results: Prevalence of obesity was highest in the East North Central division (21.3%) and the three census divisions in the South (all >20%), compared with lower prevalence in the Mountain and New England divisions (both <15%). MetS was most prevalent in the two divisions in the Midwest (both >10%) and lowest in the Mountain and New England divisions (both <6%). For the amount of obesity in each division, there was a higher prevalence of MetS in the West North Central division (obesity 17.1%, MetS 13.6%) and lower prevalence in the East South Central (obesity 23.5%, MetS 6.6%) and South Atlantic divisions (obesity 20.4%, MetS 6.7%).
Conclusions: The degree of obesity-related and MetS-related risk among adolescents in the Midwest is higher than suggested from previous parent-reported weight data. The Midwest and South may warrant particularly strong cardiovascular disease prevention efforts.
Keywords: Geography; metabolic syndrome; obesity; paediatric.
© 2018 World Obesity Federation.