Photo Credit: Chalirmpoj Pimpisarn

The BMI and obesity prevalence in the US declined in 2023 for the first time in more than a decade, according to findings published in JAMA Health Forum. Benjamin Rader, PhD, MPH, and colleagues examined national trends in BMI and obesity between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2023. The analysis included 16.7 million adults (78.4% aged 26-75; 51.3% women) who contributed 47.9 million BMI measurements. From January 2013 to December 2022, the country’s mean BMI increased annually, from 29.65 to 30.24. In 2023, BMI declined slightly. Overall, the percentage of adults with obesity dropped from 46.2% in 2021 to 45.6% in 2023. The most notable reduction was seen in the South; people aged 66-75; and women. Despite this positive trend, however, Dr. Rader and colleagues noted that obesity and BMI are imperfect measures for body fat, and “future studies should investigate alternative body composition measures and potential causes for the observed shifts,” including pandemic-associated demographic and behavior changes.