Design:

Trend study of cross-sectional studies.

Subjects:

We used data from up to 22 872 men and non-pregnant women aged⩾ 20 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999–2008.

Main Outcome Measures:

Main outcome measures are mean body mass index and waist circumference, percentages of obesity and abdominal obesity. Obesity was defined as a body mass index⩾ 30 kg m− 2, and abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference⩾ 102 cm in men and⩾ 88 cm in women.

Results:

In men, the age-adjusted mean body mass index, mean waist circumference, and prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity were 27.8 kg m− 2, 99.1 cm, and 26.9 and 37.8%, respectively, during 1999–2000 and 28.5 kg m− 2 (P trend= 0.001), 100.8 cm (P trend= 0.002), and 32.0 (P trend= 0.001) and 43.7%(P trend= 0.002), respectively, during 2007–2008. In women, the age-adjusted mean body mass index, mean waist circumference, and prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity were 28.2 kg m− 2, 92.2 cm, and 33.2 and 55.8%, respectively, during 1999–2000 and 28.6 kg m− 2 (P trend= 0.181), 94.9 cm (P trend= 0.006), and 35.2 (P trend= 0.180) and 61.8%(P trend= 0.036), respectively, during 2007–2008. Significant linear trends for increasing prevalence of obesity were noted among men with the least and most education.

Conclusion:

Between 1999 and 2008, both obesity and abdominal obesity increased in men, and abdominal obesity increased in women.