New study reveals promising health trends :: WRAL.com

A new study shows Americans may be making health more of a
priority.

The study recently published in the JAMA
Health Forum looked at 16.7 million adults from 2013-2023 between 25-75
years old.

Researchers used medical and insurance claims as well as
electronic health data to determine BMI changes over the ten-year period.

The study was 51.3% female and 48.7% male.

The results determined that average BMI rose annually from 29.65
in 2013 to 30.23 in 2021. While clinicians saw a rise in obesity during the height
of the pandemic, data plateaued in the study in 2022 with a BMI of 39.24.

2023 reported the first drop in over a decade, with a BMI of
30.21.

Even though the reported decrease is just 0.03, medical
experts say it is a hopeful sign the U.S. is moving in the right direction.

“I think to hear that headline that obesity prevalence is
decreasing or flattening is great news,” shared Dr. Andrea Coviello, director
of the UNC Weight Management Program. “It is something that has been something
that has affected so many people and their health in so many different ways
that we have sadly seen the epidemic increasing over time.”

Coviello stated she would like to see more of the U.S.
population covered in a wider study.

“One caveat of this one particular study is that it is estimates
of insurance claims data mixed with electronic health record data. That could potentially
have some bias in it in terms of the people represented in those data sets,”
she noted.

The doctor explained the information solely was gathered
from people actively engaged in healthcare, when obesity is known to heavily
impact those who do not keep up with regular appointments.

 “What we’d like to
see is the population as a whole get more engaged in weight management, healthy
lifestyle issues, better quality nutrition, more physical activity and less stress,”
she said.

Combined, Coviello said these several changes can reduce
weight and reduce risk of obesity-related diseases, like diabetes, hypertension
and cardiovascular disease.

The study also looked at the use of weight loss medication
use.

It found the South had the highest reported BMI reduction
and the most insurance claims for weight loss medications.

“It was still only 6% of that population,” Coviello provided
for context. “That population then dropped their obesity prevalence by 1%, so
how much of that is due to people getting on appropriate therapy? Not clear.”

The doctor shared lower BMI and healthier lifestyles are the
ultimate goals of prescribing patients medications like GLP-1s.

“If the GLP-1s are doing that in this data set, that’s
great. That’s exactly what we would want to see and it’s what the clinical
trial suggested happened,” she said.

More time is needed to understand the full extent of the impact
GLP-1 medications are having on weight loss in states nationwide, including
North Carolina.

The Tarheel State only expanded Medicaid coverage to widely
cover weight loss medications in August.

Coviello told WRAL it was a move she was happy to see
happen.

“The ability to offer GLP-1s to people who have Medicaid
insurance has been really transformational for many of my patients,” she said. “I
was delighted when they made that announcement. We got right on it, and we had
people on that drug in August.”

Coviello shared not every patient asks to be prescribed a
weight loss medication. She shared many just want advice on something else to
try to help lose weight.

Others are simply looking to set a better example for their
children.

“By the time we’re seeing them, they’ve been struggling usually
for a long time. I would say the motivating factor most often is the emergence
of other chronic conditions, like diabetes, high blood pressure and osteoarthritis,”
she shared. “ A lot of patients come because they know they suffer from obesity
but they come in there asking advice because they don’t want their kids to get there.”

The doctor also noted greater public messaging and weight
loss campaigns, such as through the CDC, WHO and local community outreach,
could also be playing a role in BMI reduction.