About 6.6%, or 15.5 million, U.S. adults were severely obese in 2010, compared with 3.9% in 2000, according to RAND Corp. data published in the International Journal of Obesity. Data showed the rate of severe obesity — which is a BMI of 40 or higher or roughly being 100 pounds or more over a healthy weight — was 50% higher in women than in men and twice as high for blacks as for Hispanics and whites. USA TODAY (10/1)