Continued increase in prevalence of obesity in Danish young men

Previous studies of Danish young men showed a steep increase of obesity since the birth years of the early 1940s with a levelling off in the 1950s.

To study the current prevalence of obesity and its recent changes in Danish young men.

Cross-sectional study based on weight and height measured at the military board for the birth cohorts 1955, 1965 and 1973-75.

We obtained information from the old paper files comprising the two cohorts of men born in 1955 (6549 adults) and 1965 (6404 adults) and prospectively examined 4300 from the birth cohorts 1973-75 in a conscription district in Denmark during the period 1 August 1993 to 31 July 1994.

The prevalence of obesity (defined as body mass index (BMI) > or = 30 kg/m2) was 1.5% in 1955, 2.1% in 1965 and 4.6% in 1973-75 birth cohorts. The median BMI has increased during the period from 21.7-22.8 kg/m2.

Obesity is relatively common and has increased among Danish young men.