What Facilities Need to Know About Obesity Rates

Obesity rates in the U.S. have hit a new plateau—and it's changing how healthcare facilities evaluate their equipment needs.

According to the CDC's latest data, adult obesity prevalence reached 40.3% during the time period from August 2021 to August 2023. That's 4 in 10 American adults. Additionally, severe obesity increased from 7.7% to 9.7% in that same period. These aren't just numbers—they represent actual patients walking into clinics, hospitals, and medical facilities across America.

Why This Matters for Your Facility

Here's the challenge most facilities face: the weight capacity of a standard physician scale is between 500-600 pounds and while this accommodates most patients, facilities are increasingly seeing patients who exceed these limits—particularly as severe obesity rates climb. When more than 40% of your patient population is classified as obese, and nearly 10% falls into the morbidly obese category, sourcing scales with higher weight capacities becomes necessary for efficient operations.

The good news? Healthcare facilities are starting to treat bariatric equipment as standard infrastructure rather than specialty equipment. Given current obesity rates, high-capacity scales are becoming more of a necessity than a clinical luxury.

What to Consider

Capacity Planning

Bariatric scales range from 600 to 1,000 pounds. The difference isn't just about accommodating higher weights, but it's about providing safe, dignified care for a patient population that's no longer the exception.

Beyond Weight Capacity

Befour bariatric scales address more than just numbers on a display, such as:

• 

  Weight capacity of 1,000 lbs. / 450 kg.

• Weight accuracy of ± 0.1 lb. / 0.05 kg.

• Larger platforms providing stable, secure positioning
• Integrated handrails offering support and accuracy during weighing
• Low-profile platforms reducing mobility barriers
• MotionLock Technology for unsteady users
• Smart View Display that can show either weight only, or weight, height, and BMI on a single screen
• Tilt & Roll capability with large wheels, allowing easy transport of the scale between rooms
• Battery Powered – allowing over 100,000 weight readings on a single set

Long-Term Planning
Equipment purchased today needs to serve patient populations 10-15 years into the future.

Obesity trends haven't reversed, and projections don't suggest they will. 

Facilities planning equipment investments should consider capacity ratings that exceed

current needs and construction designed for decades of daily use.

The Bottom Line

The patient population has fundamentally changed, forcing equipment infrastructure needs to match that reality.

For distributors, this represents a shift in how healthcare facilities are approaching equipment purchases. The question isn't whether bariatric equipment is necessary, but rather what sort of capacity and features best serve each facility's specific patient population.

For healthcare decision-makers, it's about removing barriers to care. Patients who've experienced inadequate equipment often delay or avoid healthcare entirely. Ensuring appropriate equipment availability provides true patient access.

The facilities making smart infrastructure decisions today are the ones looking at their actual patient demographics rather than historical assumptions. When 4 in 10 adults are obese, planning for that reality becomes a necessity.

Have questions on which bariatric scales fit your facility and patients best?

Contact Befour Inc. at 800-367-7109 or sales@befour.com.

References:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Obesity and Severe Obesity Prevalence in Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023." NCHS Data Brief No. 508, September 2024.

Trust for America's Health. "State of Obesity Report 2025: Better Policies for a Healthier America." October 2025.

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