Cohen 2008 Am J Clin Nutr

Cohen DA, Sturm R (2008) Body mass index is increasing faster among taller persons. Am J Clin Nutr 87:445-8.

» PMID: 18258637 Open Access

Cohen DA, Sturm R (2008) Am J Clin Nutr

Abstract: BACKGROUND: During the past 40 y, there has been a trend toward more eating away from home, increased food availability, the opportunity to order extra-large portion sizes, and general weight gain.

OBJECTIVE: Because shorter people need fewer calories than taller people to maintain their weight, our goal was to determine whether the body mass index (BMI)-height relation has changed over time.

DESIGN: Data are from 3581 nonpregnant women and 3091 men examined in the 1959-1962 National Health Examination Survey and 4651 nonpregnant women and 4691 men examined in the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We tested whether the relation between BMI and height has changed for men and women, after adjustment for other demographic changes.

RESULTS: In the past, on average, shorter American men and women had significantly higher BMIs than taller people. However, taller people have been increasing their BMI during the past 40 y at a faster rate than shorter people.

CONCLUSIONS: This study documents that the obesity epidemic has changed the height-BMI relation. The data cannot identify causal pathways, and there are numerous explanations. A plausible hypothesis is that changes in the food environment may have eliminated constraints on weight gain for taller people that existed in a more calorie-constrained environment.

• Bioblast editor: Gnaiger E

Template:References BME and height

Labels: MiParea: Gender, Exercise physiology;nutrition;life style  Pathology: Obesity 

Organism: Human 

Preparation: Intact organism 

BMI, Height