Smoking, obesity, and their co-occurrence in the United States: cross sectional analysis

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of obesity, smoking, and both health risk factors together among adults in the United States. DESIGN: Cross sectional analysis of a national health interview survey. SETTING: United States. PARTICIPANTS: 29 305 adults (aged > or = 18) in 2002. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of adults who are obese (body mass index > or = 30), who smoke, and who are obese and smoke. Prevalence was stratified by age, sex, ethnic group, education, and income. RESULTS: 23.5% of adults were obese, 22.7% smoked, and 4.7% smoked and were obese. CONCLUSIONS: Although the proportion of adults who smoke and are obese is relatively low, this subgroup is concentrated among lower socioeconomic groups.