Obesity Rates In U.S. Have Leveled Off

The government reports that U.S. adult obesity rates seem to have leveled off - at least temporarily.

A comprehensive survey by the federal government that includes physical examinations shows about 33 percent of adult man and 35 percent of U.S. women were obese in 2005-2006.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that's more than 72 million people.

The CDC says in the report released today that the new rates were slightly higher than the 31 percent and 33 percent reported in the 2003-2004 survey. But health officials say the increases are NOT considered statistically significant.

The adult obesity rate has generally been climbing since 1980, when it was 15 percent. There have been occasional plateaus, as occurred between 1999-2000 and 2001-2002.

In the new report, obesity was most common in adults aged 40 to 59.

There were large differences by race for women - the female obesity rates in the 40 to 59 age group were 39 percent in white women, 51 percent in Mexican-American women and 51 percent in black women.

The CDC says there are are NO racial or ethnic disparities in the male obesity rates.

The report also found that about a third of obese adults had NOT been told by a doctor or health care provider that they were overweight, although women heard such an assessment more often than men.