Trends in medication use by body mass index and age between 1988 and 2012 in the United States.

Abstract

Whether the increase in prescription medication use over time differs by age and obesity status is unclear.National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1988 and 2012 was analyzed (n = 57,543).Increased medication use over time was seen in older individuals of all body mass index (BMI) classes, with the most prominent increase in those with obesity (p0.05).Older individuals of all BMI classes may be driving the increase in medication use over time. However, the rise in the likelihood of taking cardiometabolic medications over time was generally not different between those with or without obesity in men with some increases seen in older women. Further research may be required to assess accessibility and barriers to medication use among certain demographics.