OBJECTIVES: To understand the prevalence of both individual and overlapping obesity-related comorbidities in the USA, as well as the patient distribution between different body mass index (BMI) categories across the US population.

METHODS: A literature review was conducted to better understand the adult US population that experiences obesity-related comorbidities. NHANES survey data was obtained for 2009-2010, 2011-2012, and 2013-2014 and decoded as per NHANES policy and interpretation guidelines. The population considered for the analysis (16,464 patients total) included those aged 20 years or older, with a BMI above 18.5 kg/m were categorized as Class I obesity, while BMI of 35-40 kg/m was Class II obesity and a BMI of over 40 kg/m was Class III obesity.

Obesity-related comorbidities of interest included hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dyslipidemia. Pre-Type 2 diabetes and pre-hypertension were also assessed as comorbidity precursors of interest. If respondents marked “yes” for self-reported data, it was considered to be a comorbid condition. If self-reported data read “no” or “missing,” laboratory data was used to verify health status.

RESULTS: Data from a 2014 Lancet pooled analysis was used to estimate a population of 48.5M for Class I obesity, 21.9M for Class II obesity, and 15.3M for Class III obesity. The NHANES analysis indicated that 80% of those in Class I experience obesity-related comorbidities, as well as 82% in Class II and 83% of Class III. Prevalence data for the Class I, Class II, and Class III populations that experience pre-Type 2 Diabetes, pre-hypertension, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and combinations of the aforementioned comorbidities were calculated from NHANES data and US population data.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings have implications for research about how to best target obesity interventions, based on better understanding the burden of disease and market size.