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To the Editor: Obesity is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States.¹ Each year, an estimated 300,000 US adults die of causes attributable to obesity.² Obesity also substantially increases morbidity and impairs quality of life.³ Overall, the direct costs of obesity and physical inactivity account for approximately 9.4% of the national health care expenditures in the United States.⁴ Last year, we reported that the prevalence of obesity (defined as body mass index 30 kg/m²) based on self-reported weight and height in US adults increased from 12.0% in 1991 to 17.9% in 1998.⁵ To determine whether this increase is continuing, we examined 1999 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

Methods

The BRFSS is a cross-sectional telephone survey of noninstitutionalized civilian adults aged 18 years and older conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments.

The BRFSS questionnaire primarily includes . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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