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QuickStats: Percentage of Adults* Who Are Obese,† by Type of Difficulty or Limitation§ --- National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2001--2005

During 2001–2005, the prevalence of obesity was greater among adults with movement (33%), emotional (33%), seeing or hearing (27%), or cognitive (27%) difficulties and among those with any complex activity limitation (32%) than among adults with no disabilities (19%).

* Noninstitutionalized adults aged >18 years.

† Body mass index >30, based on self-reported height and weight.

§ Based on responses to numerous questions, which can be found in the appendix of the source publication. Any complex activity limitation is a combination measure that represents restrictions in any specific tasks or activities, including personal care, attending school, keeping house, or working. Movement difficulty is difficulty with at least one of eight basic areas of physical functioning because of a health problem and without using special equipment. Emotional difficulty represents problems with emotional functioning and is based on a score of 13 or more on the K6 serious psychological distress scale. Seeing or hearing difficulty represents difficulty with sensory functioning such as vision problems, even when wearing eyeglasses, or being unable to see at all, or having trouble hearing without a hearing aid or being deaf. Cognitive difficulty represents cognitive functioning difficulties in the areas of remembering or experiencing periods of confusion.

95% confidence interval.

During 2001--2005, the prevalence of obesity was greater among adults with movement (33%), emotional (33%), seeing or hearing (27%), or cognitive (27%) difficulties and among those with any complex activity limitation (32%) than among adults with no disabilities (19%).

SOURCE: Altman B, Bernstein A. Disability and health in the United States, 2001--2005. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2008. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/misc/disability2001-2005.pdf.

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Date last reviewed: 10/9/2008

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