Prevalence of overweight and obesity in China: Results from a cross-sectional study of 441 thousand adults, 2012-2015

Abstract

Objectives: Obesity has become a global health public problem. The study aims to examine the latest prevalence of overweight and obesity in China.

Methods: Data came from the China Hypertension Survey (CHS), a nationally representative cross-sectional study among residents aged ≥18 years from October 2012 to December 2015. Overweight and obesity were defined as 25≤BMI<30kg/m² and BMI≥30kg/m² according to the WHO classifications, respectively.

Results: The data of 441 306 participants were analyzed. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 28.1% and 5.2% respectively. The prevalence of overweight and obesity varied considerably across provinces. The prevalence of overweight was the highest in Beijing, which was 2.8 fold of the lowest in Guangxi (40.9% vs. 14.6%). The prevalence of obesity was the highest in Tianjin, which was 9.4 fold of the lowest in Hainan (12.2% vs. 1.3%). There was a striking north-south gradient with the prevalence higher in Northeast and Northwest China and lower in Southeast China. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that sex, age, education, smoking, marital status and family history of cardiovascular disease were significantly associated with overweight and obesity.

Conclusions: Overweight and obesity are highly prevalent among Chinese adults, and their prevalence varies greatly among different population subgroups and provinces. National and provincial obesity control and prevention strategies should be public health priorities in China.

Keywords: China; Obesity; Overweight; Prevalence.