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.