Trends in Obesity Care Among US Adults, 2010–2021
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9104789 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Meghan I Podolsky (0009-0006-5458-0356, Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, corresponding author), Rafeya Raquib (0000-0002-0631-4081, Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, corresponding author), Katherine Hempstead (0000-0003-3856-3629, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, NJ), Andrew Stokes (0000-0002-8502-3636, Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 63 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 234-240 |
| Publication date | 2025-03-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Medical Care (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0025-7079 • E-ISSN: 1537-1948 |
| Publisher | Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1097/mlr.0000000000002113 |
| PMID | 39819977 |
| OpenAlex | W4406499180 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 27 |
BACKGROUND: Obesity is a major contributor to mortality in the United States. Clinical guidelines emphasize the need for multimodal treatment, but novel treatments may be changing care-seeking behavior. OBJECTIVE: To characterize obesity treatment access patterns and factors associated with obesity care from 2010 to 2021 in the United States. RESEARCH DESIGN: This multiyear cross-sectional study was conducted using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data, covering respondents from 2010 to 2021. SUBJECTS: We defined individuals with a body mass index ≥30 or those with any health care event linked to a diagnosis of obesity as being clinically eligible for obesity treatment. MEASURES: The primary outcome was the proportion of individuals assumed eligible for obesity treatment who accessed obesity treatment or were prescribed medication to treat obesity in each calendar year from 2010 to 2021. RESULTS: The population of individuals eligible for obesity treatment was 82,729. In total, 1311 (1.6%) reported receiving treatment for obesity. The proportion of participants receiving a prescription for obesity increased from 0.3% (0.2%, 0.6%) in 2010 to 1.8% (1.3%, 2.5%) in 2021. Multivariable l ogistic regression found that female individuals, older individuals, and those with higher levels of education had higher odds of accessing obesity medication or any obesity treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Utilization of pharmaceutical and nonpharmaceutical obesity treatment has increased from 2010 to 2021 but remains low. The likelihood of receiving treatment was lower for groups with lower socioeconomic status. As more effective obesity therapies become available, efforts should be made to ensure equitable access
Environmental health · MEDLINE · Obesity · Political science · Sociology · Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes · Demography · Internal Medicine · Medicine · Obesity and Health Practices · Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment · Gerontology
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |