U.S. obesity hits minorities, poor more

BALTIMORE, July 11 (UPI) -- U.S. obesity prevalence increased from 13 percent to 32 percent between the 1960s and 2004, says a Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study.

Some minority and low socioeconomic status groups -- such as non-Hispanic black women and children, Mexican-American women and children, low socioeconomic status African-American men and white women and children, American Indians and Pacific Islanders -- are disproportionately affected, according to the meta-analysis published in the journal Epidemiologic Reviews.

"The obesity rate in the United States has increased at an alarming rate over the past three decades," lead author Dr. Youfa Wang.

"Obesity is a public health crisis. If the rate of obesity and overweight continues at this pace, by 2015, 75 percent of adults and nearly 24 percent of U.S. children and adolescents will be overweight or obese."

The study also found:

-- 66 percent percent of U.S. adults were overweight or obese in 2003-2004.

-- Women ages 20 to 34 had the fastest increase rate of obesity and overweight.

-- 80 percent of black women over age 40 years are overweight.