Adults Made 11 Million Physician Visits for Obesity in 2012

The CDC recently released a study on characteristics of physician visits for obesity. Here are some key findings from the report:

·         In 2012, 11 million visits to physician offices for obesity were made by adults aged 20 and over.

·         The annual visit rate for obesity was 49 visits per 1,000 persons in 2012.

·         Women had a significantly higher obesity visit rate (60 visits per 1,000) than men (37 visits).

·         Visits for obesity were 25% more likely to include assessments of height, weight and blood pressure.

·         Obesity visits were 50% more likely to include testing of blood glucose and lipids.

·         Education about nutrition and exercise was 4x more likely to be offered at visits for obesity.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 2016