Trends and Sex-Specific Rates of Obesity and Severe Obesity in US Hospitalized Adults, 2012–2021 - Summary - MDSpire

Trends and Sex-Specific Rates of Obesity and Severe Obesity in US Hospitalized Adults, 2012–2021

  • By

  • Jacob Lui

  • Karen M. Fischer

  • Ruchi Gupta

  • Abhinav Singla

  • Aleksandra Murawska Baptista

  • Dominique Monlezun

  • Shant Ayanian

  • Cheˈ Matthew Harris

  • Sagar B. Dugani

  • June 8, 2026

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To analyze hospitalizations coded with obesity trends and describe sex-specific rates to understand demographic differences and guide future interventions.

Approach:
    Key Findings:
    • 16.9% of hospitalizations were coded with obesity (8,733,196 cases).
    • 9.0% of hospitalizations were coded with severe obesity (4,638,219 cases).
    Interpretation:

    The study highlights the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among hospitalized adults, emphasizing the need for improved documentation and understanding of demographic variations to inform targeted interventions.

    Limitations:
    • Study relies on administrative coding, which may not accurately reflect true obesity prevalence and could lead to underreporting.
    • Excludes rehabilitation and long-term acute care hospitals, potentially limiting the generalizability of findings.
    Conclusion:

    The findings indicate significant rates of obesity and severe obesity among hospitalized adults, warranting further investigation into demographic disparities to inform public health strategies.

    Sources:

Original Source(s)

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