10-Year Weight Gain in 13,802 US Adults: The Role of Age, Sex, and Race

Abstract

Purpose. The primary objective of the present investigation was to identify 10-year weight gain patterns in 13,802 US adults and also to determine the extent that differences in 10-year weight gains were associated with the key demographic variables: age, sex, and race. Methods. The study design was cross-sectional and included the years 2011–2018. Data for 2019–2020 were not available because of COVID. A multistage random sampling strategy was employed. Specifically, individual sample weights and randomly selected clusters and strata were used with each statistical model, allowing the results to be generalized to the US adult population. Results. Mean (±SE) 10-year weight gain was 4.2 ± 0.2 kg or 6.6 ± 0.2% of initial body weight. A total of 51% of the participants gained 5% or more body weight, 36% gained 10% or more, and 16% gained 20% or more across the 10-years. Age was linearly and inversely associated with 10-year weight gain, expressed in kg (F = 166.4, $P<0.0001$ ) or percent weight gain (F = 246.9, $P<0.0001$ ), after adjusting for sex and race. For each 1-year increase in age, 10-year weight gain decreased by 0.20 ± 0.02 kg and 0.28 ± 0.02 percent. After adjusting for age and race, 10-year weight gain (kg) was significantly greater (F = 73.6, $P<0.0001$ ) in women (5.4 ± 0.3) than in men (2.6 ± 0.2). Weight gain also differed across races, kg (F = 27.7, $P<0.0001$ ) and % (F = 28.5, $P<0.0001$ ). Non-Hispanic Blacks gained more weight and NH Asians gained less weight than the other races. Conclusion. Without question, 10-year weight gain is a serious problem within the US adult population. Younger adults, women, and Non-Hispanic Blacks, particularly Black women, seem to experience the highest levels of 10-year weight gain. Consequently, obesity and weight gain prevention programs focusing on these at-risk individuals should be a public health priority.