"The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection,
Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure" provides a new guideline
for hypertension prevention and management. The following are the key messages(1) In persons older than 50 years, systolic blood pressure (BP) of
more than 140 mm Hg is a much more important cardiovascular disease
(CVD) risk factor than diastolic BP; (2) The risk of CVD, beginning at 115/75
mm Hg, doubles with each increment of 20/10 mm Hg; individuals who are normotensive
at 55 years of age have a 90% lifetime risk for developing hypertension; (3)
Individuals with a systolic BP of 120 to 139 mm Hg or a diastolic BP of 80
to 89 mm Hg should be considered as prehypertensive and require health-promoting
lifestyle modifications to prevent CVD; (4) Thiazide-type diuretics should
be used in drug treatment for most patients with uncomplicated hypertension,
either alone or combined with drugs from other classes. Certain high-risk
conditions are compelling indications for the initial use of other antihypertensive
drug classes (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor
blockers, β-blockers, calcium channel blockers); (5) Most patients with
hypertension will require 2 or more antihypertensive medications to achieve
goal BP (<140/90 mm Hg, or <130/80 mm Hg for patients with diabetes
or chronic kidney disease); (6) If BP is more than 20/10 mm Hg above goal
BP, consideration should be given to initiating therapy with 2 agents, 1 of
which usually should be a thiazide-type diuretic; and (7) The most effective
therapy prescribed by the most careful clinician will control hypertension
only if patients are motivated. Motivation improves when patients have positive
experiences with and trust in the clinician. Empathy builds trust and is a
potent motivator. Finally, in presenting these guidelines, the committee recognizes
that the responsible physician's judgment remains paramount.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/articlepdf/196589/JSC30096.pdf

The Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure: the JNC 7 report.

Background Type 2 diabetes affects approximately 8 percent of adults in the United States. Some risk factors — elevated plasma glucose concentrations in the fasting state and after an oral glucose load, overweight, and a sedentary lifestyle — are potentially reversible. We hypothesized that modifying these factors with a lifestyle-intervention program or the administration of metformin would prevent or delay the development of diabetes. Methods We randomly assigned 3234 nondiabetic persons with elevated fasting and post-load plasma glucose concentrations to placebo, metformin (850 mg twice daily), or a lifestyle modification program with the goals of at least a 7 percent weight loss and at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week. The mean age of the participants was 51 years, and the mean body-mass index (the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters) was 34.0; 68 percent were women, and 45 percent were members of minority groups. Results The average follow-up was 2.8 years. The incidence of diabetes was 11.0, 7.8, and 4.8 cases per 100 person-years in the placebo, metformin, and lifestyle groups, respectively. The lifestyle intervention reduced the incidence by 58 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 48 to 66 percent) and metformin by 31 percent (95 percent confidence interval, 17 to 43 percent), as compared with placebo; the lifestyle intervention was significantly more effective than metformin. To prevent one case of diabetes during a period of three years, 6.9 persons would have to participate in the lifestyle-intervention program, and 13.9 would have to receive metformin. Conclusions Lifestyle changes and treatment with metformin both reduced the incidence of diabetes in persons at high risk. The lifestyle intervention was more effective than metformin.

Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin.

OBJECTIVE —The goal of this study was to estimate the prevalence of diabetes and the number of people of all ages with diabetes for years 2000 and 2030. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —Data on diabetes prevalence by age and sex from a limited number of countries were extrapolated to all 191 World Health Organization member states and applied to United Nations’ population estimates for 2000 and 2030. Urban and rural populations were considered separately for developing countries. RESULTS —The prevalence of diabetes for all age-groups worldwide was estimated to be 2.8% in 2000 and 4.4% in 2030. The total number of people with diabetes is projected to rise from 171 million in 2000 to 366 million in 2030. The prevalence of diabetes is higher in men than women, but there are more women with diabetes than men. The urban population in developing countries is projected to double between 2000 and 2030. The most important demographic change to diabetes prevalence across the world appears to be the increase in the proportion of people >65 years of age. CONCLUSIONS —These findings indicate that the “diabetes epidemic” will continue even if levels of obesity remain constant. Given the increasing prevalence of obesity, it is likely that these figures provide an underestimate of future diabetes prevalence.

https://www.who.int/diabetes/facts/en/diabcare0504.pdf

Global Prevalence of Diabetes: Estimates for the year 2000 and projections for 2030

The classification of diabetes mellitus and the tests used for its diagnosis were brought into order by the National Diabetes Data Group of the USA and the second World Health Organization Expert Committee on Diabetes Mellitus in 1979 and 1980. Apart from minor modifications by WHO in 1985, little has been changed since that time. There is however considerable new knowledge regarding the aetiology of different forms of diabetes as well as more information on the predictive value of different blood glucose values for the complications of diabetes. A WHO Consultation has therefore taken place in parallel with a report by an American Diabetes Association Expert Committee to re-examine diagnostic criteria and classification. The present document includes the conclusions of the former and is intended for wide distribution and discussion before final proposals are submitted to WHO for approval. The main changes proposed are as follows. The diagnostic fasting plasma (blood) glucose value has been lowered to > or =7.0 mmol l(-1) (6.1 mmol l(-1)). Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) is changed to allow for the new fasting level. A new category of Impaired Fasting Glycaemia (IFG) is proposed to encompass values which are above normal but below the diagnostic cut-off for diabetes (plasma > or =6.1 to or =5.6 to <6.1 mmol l(-1)). Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) now includes gestational impaired glucose tolerance as well as the previous GDM. The classification defines both process and stage of the disease. The processes include Type 1, autoimmune and non-autoimmune, with beta-cell destruction; Type 2 with varying degrees of insulin resistance and insulin hyposecretion; Gestational Diabetes Mellitus; and Other Types where the cause is known (e.g. MODY, endocrinopathies). It is anticipated that this group will expand as causes of Type 2 become known. Stages range from normoglycaemia to insulin required for survival. It is hoped that the new classification will allow better classification of individuals and lead to fewer therapeutic misjudgements.

Definition, diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus and its complications. Part 1: diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus provisional report of a WHO consultation.

The National High Blood Pressure Education Program presents the complete Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Like its predecessors, the purpose is to provide an evidence-based approach to the prevention and management of hypertension. The key messages of this report are these: in those older than age 50, systolic blood pressure (BP) of greater than 140 mm Hg is a more important cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor than diastolic BP; beginning at 115/75 mm Hg, CVD risk doubles for each increment of 20/10 mm Hg; those who are normotensive at 55 years of age will have a 90% lifetime risk of developing hypertension; prehypertensive individuals (systolic BP 120-139 mm Hg or diastolic BP 80-89 mm Hg) require health-promoting lifestyle modifications to prevent the progressive rise in blood pressure and CVD; for uncomplicated hypertension, thiazide diuretic should be used in drug treatment for most, either alone or combined with drugs from other classes; this report delineates specific high-risk conditions that are compelling indications for the use of other antihypertensive drug classes (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers); two or more antihypertensive medications will be required to achieve goal BP (<140/90 mm Hg, or <130/80 mm Hg) for patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease; for patients whose BP is more than 20 mm Hg above the systolic BP goal or more than 10 mm Hg above the diastolic BP goal, initiation of therapy using two agents, one of which usually will be a thiazide diuretic, should be considered; regardless of therapy or care, hypertension will be controlled only if patients are motivated to stay on their treatment plan. Positive experiences, trust in the clinician, and empathy improve patient motivation and satisfaction. This report serves as a guide, and the committee continues to recognize that the responsible physician's judgment remains paramount.

Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure

Objective To develop an internationally acceptable definition of child overweight and obesity, specifying the measurement, the reference population, and the age and sex specific cut off points. Design International survey of six large nationally representative cross sectional growth studies. Setting Brazil, Great Britain, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Singapore, and the United States. Subjects 97 876 males and 94 851 females from birth to 25 years of age. Main outcome measure Body mass index (weight/height 2 ). Results For each of the surveys, centile curves were drawn that at age 18 years passed through the widely used cut off points of 25 and 30 kg/m 2 for adult overweight and obesity. The resulting curves were averaged to provide age and sex specific cut off points from 2›18 years. Conclusions The proposed cut off points, which are less arbitrary and more internationally based than current alternatives, should help to provide internationally comparable prevalence rates of overweight and obesity in children.

/pdf/establishing-a-standard-definition-for-child-overweight-and-16kf8i2qy7.pdf

Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey

ContextThe prevalence of overweight in children and adolescents and obesity in adults in the United States has increased over several decades.ObjectiveTo provide current estimates of the prevalence and trends of overweight in children and adolescents and obesity in adults.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsAnalysis of height and weight measurements from 3958 children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years and 4431 adults aged 20 years or older obtained in 2003-2004 as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative sample of the US population. Data from the NHANES obtained in 1999-2000 and in 2001-2002 were compared with data from 2003-2004.Main Outcome MeasuresEstimates of the prevalence of overweight in children and adolescents and obesity in adults. Overweight among children and adolescents was defined as at or above the 95th percentile of the sex-specific body mass index (BMI) for age growth charts. Obesity among adults was defined as a BMI of 30 or higher; extreme obesity was defined as a BMI of 40 or higher.ResultsIn 2003-2004, 17.1% of US children and adolescents were overweight and 32.2% of adults were obese. Tests for trend were significant for male and female children and adolescents, indicating an increase in the prevalence of overweight in female children and adolescents from 13.8% in 1999-2000 to 16.0% in 2003-2004 and an increase in the prevalence of overweight in male children and adolescents from 14.0% to 18.2%. Among men, the prevalence of obesity increased significantly between 1999-2000 (27.5%) and 2003-2004 (31.1%). Among women, no significant increase in obesity was observed between 1999-2000 (33.4%) and 2003-2004 (33.2%). The prevalence of extreme obesity (body mass index ≥40) in 2003-2004 was 2.8% in men and 6.9% in women. In 2003-2004, significant differences in obesity prevalence remained by race/ethnicity and by age. Approximately 30% of non-Hispanic white adults were obese as were 45.0% of non-Hispanic black adults and 36.8% of Mexican Americans. Among adults aged 20 to 39 years, 28.5% were obese while 36.8% of adults aged 40 to 59 years and 31.0% of those aged 60 years or older were obese in 2003-2004.ConclusionsThe prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents and obesity among men increased significantly during the 6-year period from 1999 to 2004; among women, no overall increases in the prevalence of obesity were observed. These estimates were based on a 6-year period and suggest that the increases in body weight are continuing in men and in children and adolescents while they may be leveling off in women.

/pdf/prevalence-of-overweight-and-obesity-in-the-united-states-3e2vt9vqld.pdf

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the United States, 1999-2004

Results In 2007-2008, the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 33.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 31.6%-36.0%) overall, 32.2% (95% CI, 29.5%-35.0%) among men, and 35.5% (95% CI, 33.2%-37.7%) among women. The corresponding prevalence estimates for overweight and obesity combined (BMI 25) were 68.0% (95% CI, 66.3%-69.8%), 72.3% (95% CI, 70.4%-74.1%), and 64.1% (95% CI, 61.3%66.9%). Obesity prevalence varied by age group and by racial and ethnic group for both men and women. Over the 10-year period, obesity showed no significant trend among women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] for 2007-2008 vs 1999-2000, 1.12 [95% CI, 0.89-1.32]). For men, there was a significant linear trend (AOR for 2007-2008 vs 1999-2000, 1.32 [95% CI, 1.12-1.58]); however, the 3 most recent data points did not differ significantly from each other.

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/articlepdf/185235/joc90148_235_241.pdf

Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999-2008.

Importance More than one-third of adults and 17% of youth in the United States are obese, although the prevalence remained stable between 2003-2004 and 2009-2010. Objective To provide the most recent national estimates of childhood obesity, analyze trends in childhood obesity between 2003 and 2012, and provide detailed obesity trend analyses among adults. Design, Setting, and Participants Weight and height or recumbent length were measured in 9120 participants in the 2011-2012 nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Main Outcomes and Measures In infants and toddlers from birth to 2 years, high weight for recumbent length was defined as weight for length at or above the 95th percentile of the sex-specific Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) growth charts. In children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years, obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the sex-specific CDC BMI-for-age growth charts. In adults, obesity was defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 30. Analyses of trends in high weight for recumbent length or obesity prevalence were conducted overall and separately by age across 5 periods (2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008, 2009-2010, and 2011-2012). Results In 2011-2012, 8.1% (95% CI, 5.8%-11.1%) of infants and toddlers had high weight for recumbent length, and 16.9% (95% CI, 14.9%-19.2%) of 2- to 19-year-olds and 34.9% (95% CI, 32.0%-37.9%) of adults (age-adjusted) aged 20 years or older were obese. Overall, there was no significant change from 2003-2004 through 2011-2012 in high weight for recumbent length among infants and toddlers, obesity in 2- to 19-year-olds, or obesity in adults. Tests for an interaction between survey period and age found an interaction in children ( P  = .03) and women ( P  = .02). There was a significant decrease in obesity among 2- to 5-year-old children (from 13.9% to 8.4%; P  = .03) and a significant increase in obesity among women aged 60 years and older (from 31.5% to 38.1%; P  = .006). Conclusions and Relevance Overall, there have been no significant changes in obesity prevalence in youth or adults between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012. Obesity prevalence remains high and thus it is important to continue surveillance.

/pdf/prevalence-of-childhood-and-adult-obesity-in-the-united-1gon174hws.pdf

Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012.

ContextThe prevalence of obesity and overweight increased in the United States
between 1978 and 1991. More recent reports have suggested continued increases
but are based on self-reported data.ObjectiveTo examine trends and prevalences of overweight (body mass index [BMI]
≥25) and obesity (BMI ≥30), using measured height and weight data.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsSurvey of 4115 adult men and women conducted in 1999 and 2000 as part
of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally
representative sample of the US population.Main Outcome MeasureAge-adjusted prevalence of overweight, obesity, and extreme obesity
compared with prior surveys, and sex-, age-, and race/ethnicity–specific
estimates.ResultsThe age-adjusted prevalence of obesity was 30.5% in 1999-2000 compared
with 22.9% in NHANES III (1988-1994; P<.001).
The prevalence of overweight also increased during this period from 55.9%
to 64.5% (P<.001). Extreme obesity (BMI ≥40)
also increased significantly in the population, from 2.9% to 4.7% (P = .002). Although not all changes were statistically significant,
increases occurred for both men and women in all age groups and for non-Hispanic
whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Mexican Americans. Racial/ethnic groups did
not differ significantly in the prevalence of obesity or overweight for men.
Among women, obesity and overweight prevalences were highest among non-Hispanic
black women. More than half of non-Hispanic black women aged 40 years or older
were obese and more than 80% were overweight.ConclusionsThe increases in the prevalences of obesity and overweight previously
observed continued in 1999-2000. The potential health benefits from reduction
in overweight and obesity are of considerable public health importance.

/pdf/prevalence-and-trends-in-obesity-among-us-adults-1999-2000-51r0dvd9yl.pdf

Katherine M. Flegal

Papers

Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey

Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the United States, 1999-2004

Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999-2008.

Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012.

Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2000