Length of Hospital Stays Among Obese Individuals

OBJECTIVES: We examined lengths of hospital stay among individuals categorized according to weight status. METHODS: We used data from the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Followup Survey to estimate length-of-stay differences. RESULTS: Individuals with body mass indexes (BMIs) of 35 kg/m2 or above, those with BMIs of 30 to 34 kg/m2, and those with BMIs of 25 to 29 kg/m2 had crude length-of-stay rates greater than those of normal-weight individuals. Association between BMI and length of stay varied over time. CONCLUSIONS: Obese individuals experience longer hospital stays than normal-weight individuals.