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Alberto J. Caban, MPH, David J. Lee, PhD, Lora E. Fleming, MD, PhD, Orlando Gómez-Marín, MSc, PhD, William LeBlanc, PhD and Terry Pitman, BA

Alberto J. Caban is with the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Miami School of Medicine and with Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Florida. Lora E. Fleming, David J. Lee, Orlando Gómez-Marín, William LeBlanc, and Terry M. Pitman are all with the University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Lora E. Fleming, MD, PhD, MPH, MS, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami School of Medicine, 1801 NW 9th Ave., Highland Professional Building, Suite 200, Miami, FL 33136 (e-mail: lfleming{at}med.miami.edu).

Objectives. Obesity has emerged as one of the most important public health issues in the United States. We assessed obesity prevalence rates and their trends among major US occupational groups.

Methods. Self-reported weight and height were collected annually on US workers, aged 18 years or older, from the 1986 to 1995 and the 1997 to 2002 National Health Interview Surveys. Overall, occupation-, race-, and gender-specific rates of obesity (defined as a body mass index>30.0 kg/m²) were calculated with data pooled from both study periods (n>600000). Annual occupation-specific prevalence rates were also calculated, and their time trends were assessed.

Results. Obesity rates increased significantly over time among employed workers, irrespective of race and gender. The average yearly change increased from 0.61% (±.04) during the period from 1986 to 1995 to 0.95% (±.11) during the period from 1997 to 2002. Average obesity prevalence rates and corresponding trends varied considerably across occupational groups; pooled obesity prevalence rates were highest in motor vehicle operators (31.7% in men; 31.0% in women).

Conclusions. Weight loss intervention programs targeting workers employed in occupational groups with high or increasing rates of obesity are urgently needed.

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