Mean Body Weight, Height, Waist Circumference, and Body Mass Index Among Adults: United States, 1999-2000 Through 2015-2016

Abstract

Objectives-This report presents trends in mean weight, height, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) among adults in the United States from 1999-2000 through 2015-2016. Methods-Data were obtained from physical examinations of a nationally representative sample of adults aged 20 and over in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys during 1999-2016. The tables present means and standard errors of the mean for weight (n = 45,047), height (n = 46,481), waist circumference (n = 43,169), and BMI (n = 44,859) separately for men and women overall, by age group, and by race and Hispanic origin for each 2-year survey period. Changes in these body measures over time were evaluated using linear regression. Results-Since 1999, mean weight, waist circumference, and BMI increased for all age groups, for non-Hispanic white and Mexican-American men and women, and for non-Hispanic black women. Among non-Hispanic black men, weight, waist circumference, and BMI increased until 2005-2006 and then remained level. No change in height was seen over time except for a decrease in crude estimates among all women, a decrease among men and women aged 40-59, and an increase in both crude and age-adjusted estimates of mean height for men followed by a decrease after 2003-2004. No significant trends were seen in any of the four body measures for non-Hispanic Asian men and women (data available only for 2011-2016).