Obesity in Pregnancy.
Based on the 2011–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the prevalence of obesity in women of reproductive age (20–39 years) in the United States is 31.8% and increases to 58.5% when the overweight and obese categories are combined.
Abstract
Obesity is commonly classified based on body mass index (BMI), defined as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2). The World Health Organization organizes BMI ranges into six categories to define underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity (Table 1). Based on the 2011–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the prevalence of obesity in women of reproductive age (20–39 years) in the United States is 31.8% and increases to 58.5% when the overweight and obese categories are combined (1, 2).