Important Facts for Obesity Among Adults
Definition
Percentage of respondents who have a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30.0 kg/m2 calculated from self-reported weight and height. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by the square of height in meters.Numerator
Number of respondents who have a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30.0 kg/m2 calculated from self-reported weight and height.Denominator
Number of adult respondents for whom BMI can be calculated from their self-reported weight and height (excludes unknowns or refusals for weight and height).Data Interpretation Issues
Data from the New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey are intended to represent non-institutionalized adults in households with telephones. Data are collected using a random sample of all possible telephone numbers. Prior to analysis, data are weighted to represent the population distribution of adults by age, sex, and "race"/ethnicity. As with all surveys, however, some residual bias may result from nonresponse (e.g., refusal to participate in the survey or to answer specific questions) and measurement error (e.g., social desirability or recall). Attempts are made to minimize such error by use of a strict calling protocol (up to 15 calls are made to reach each household), good questionnaire design, standardization of interviewer behavior, interviewer training, and frequent, on-site interviewer monitoring and supervision. Starting in 2011, BRFSS protocol requires that the NJBRFS incorporate a fixed quota of interviews from cell phone respondents along with a new weighting methodology called iterative proportional fitting or "raking". The new weighting methodology incorporates additional demographic information (such as education, race, and marital status) in the weighting process. These methodological changes were implemented to account for the underrepresentation of certain demographic groups in the land line sample (which resulted in part from the increasing number of U.S. households without land line phones). Comparisons between 2011 and prior years should therefore be made with caution. (More details about these changes can be found at [http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6122a3.htm].)Why Is This Important?
Adults who are obese are at increased risk of morbidity from hypertension, high LDL cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and osteoarthritis.Healthy People Objective: Reduce the proportion of adults who are obese
U.S. Target: 30.6 percent (age-adjusted)State Target: 23.8 percent (age-adjusted)