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he first Overeaters Anonymous meeting was held in 1960 in Los Angeles, California. Since that time, OA has grown to over 6,400 meetings in more than 80 countries with approximately 54,000 members and growing. Disordered Eating in the United States In light of the most recent (September 2024) statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of obesity was approximately 40.3% - a rate that has been holding steady, with no significant difference between men and women. The prevalence of obesity was higher in adults ages 40-59 (46.4%) than in either ages 20-39 (35.6%) and 60 or older (38.9%). Lower prevalence of obesity was found in adults with a bachelor's degree, yet higher prevalence in adults with less education. Prevalence of severe obesity increased in adults (9.4%), and was higher in women than in men for each age group. From 2013 to August 2023, severe obesity prevalence increased from 7.7% to 9.7%, although the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity did not change significantly. Obesity-related conditions – some of the leading causes of preventable premature death – include:
In 2008, the estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion. As of January 2024, obesity is costing the US healthcare system almost $173 billion a year, as well as also affecting the nation's military readiness. Only 2 in 5 young adults are weight-eligible and physically prepared for basic training. According to the National Institute of Health, the annual medical care costs for people who have obesity is $2,505, or 100% higher than those of a normal weight. In fact, the effects of obesity raised costs in every category of care: inpatient, outpatient, and prescription drugs. Much of the aggregated $260.6 billion in national costs of obesity represents external costs. This provides a strong rationale for interventions aimed at preventing and reducing obesity. 2023 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps The CDC has released the 2023 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps for 49 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 US territories. The maps show self-reported adult obesity prevalence by race, ethnicity, and location.
What the 2023 maps came to reveal is that obesity impacts some groups more than others. There are notable differences by race and ethnicity, as shown by combined data from 2021-2023:
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally – at least 2.5 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese. Per an issue of Obesity Science & Practice, “…in 2016, excess weight in the US was responsible for over 1300 deaths per day, accounting for nearly 500,000 deaths annually, surpassing the mortality impact of smoking. This led to an average life expectancy loss of nearly 2.4 years." According to the CDC, within the US alone, this “epidemic” results in 400,000 annual deaths – more deaths than that caused by alcohol and drugs combined! Adding to these dire statistics was the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the National Eating Disorders Association Hotline, during the first year of the pandemic, calls were up 70-80%.
Of anorexics in the US, 62% experienced a worsening of symptoms after the pandemic hit. With the far more common binge-eating disorder, in America nearly a third reported an increase in episodes. And, tragically, eating disorders have the second-highest mortality rate of any psychiatric diagnosis – outranked only by opioid use disorder! In light of these dire statistics, at OA Silicon Valley we realize today, more than ever before, that our primary purpose – to help the still suffering compulsive eater – is more vital than ever before! Overeaters Anonymous 2017 Survey – a look at our Members Before coming to OA, 77% of members received some type of treatment or counseling, such as medical, psychological, or spiritual. Of those members, 30% said it played an important part in their coming to OA. After coming to OA, 67% received some type of treatment or counseling, such as medical, psychological, or spiritual. Of those members, 88% said that support from OA has been helpful in conjunction with treatment or counseling. Many of our members in recovery from compulsive eating have maintained a healthy weight for more than 5 years, with others having done so for several decades!
If you’d like to see the complete details from our 2017 membership survey, please click here! If you are curious about how Overeaters Anonymous Silicon Valley can help the patients, clients, students, staff, or community members you serve – then isn’t it time you got to know OA? Please send email to pro-outreach@oasv.org for further details. At Overeaters Anonymous Silicon Valley, we help anyone and everyone who is struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, obesity, over-eating, under-eating, nighttime eating, excessive exercise, poor body image, or any number of other food issues and compulsive eating behaviors.
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Overeaters Anonymous Silicon Valley
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​In need of support, we are here to help.
Click here to chat with an OA Member
​In need of support, we are here to help.
Click here to chat with an OA Member