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PubMed2001

Epidemic increase in childhood overweight, 1986-1998.

CONTEXT: Overweight is the most common health problem facing US children. Data for adults suggest that overweight prevalence has increased by more than 50% in the last 10 years. Data for children also suggest that the prevalence of overweight continues to increase rapidly. OBJECTIVE: To investigate recent changes in the prevalence of overweight within a nationally representative sample of children. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, a prospective cohort study conducted from 1986 to 1998 among 8270 children aged 4 to 12 years (24 174 growth points were analyzed). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of overweight children, defined as body mass index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile for age and sex, and prevalence of overweight and at-risk children, defined as BMI greater than the 85th percentile for age and sex. The roles of race/ethnicity, sex, income, and region of residence were also examined. RESULTS: Between 1986 and 1998, overweight increased significantly and steadily among African American (P<.001), Hispanic (P<.001), and white (P =.03) children. By 1998, overweight prevalence increased to 21.5% among African Americans, 21.8% among Hispanics, and 12.3% among non-Hispanic whites. In addition, overweight children were heavier in 1998 compared with 1986 (P<.001). After adjusting for confounding variables, overweight increased fastest among minorities and southerners, creating large demographic differences in the prevalence of childhood overweight by 1998. The number of children with BMI greater than the 85th percentile increased significantly from 1986 to 1998 among African American and Hispanic children (P<.001 for both) and nonsignificantly among white children (P =.77). CONCLUSIONS: Childhood overweight continues to increase rapidly in the United States, particularly among African Americans and Hispanics. Culturally competent treatment strategies as well as other policy interventions are required to increase physical activity and encourage healthy eating patterns among children.

Black or African American↗

PubMed2002

Impact of parental BMI on the manifestation of overweight 5-7 year old children.

BACKGROUND: There is an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obese children. Genetic and environmental factors are contributing factors but the influence of parental nutritional state on early manifestation of overweight is not well characterised. AIM OF THE STUDY: To systematically investigate the impact of parental BMI on the manifestation of overweight in 5 to 7 year old children. METHODS: Cross-sectional study (as a part of the Kiel Obesity Prevention Study [KOPS]) of 3306 children aged 5-7 years and their parents. The nutritional state of the children (BMI, triceps skinfold, fat mass, prevalence of overweight) was investigated in subgroups differing with respect to parental BMI. RESULTS: BMI of the children was significantly correlated with parental BMI (r = 0.272, p < 0.01). Children's BMI showed closer associations with maternal than with paternal BMI (r = 0.254 vs. 0.159, p < 0.01). A multivariate regression analysis showed that parental BMI explained 7.6 % of the variance in children's BMI. OR for overweight was elevated in children with at least one overweight parent (overweight mother: OR 2.9 (boys)/3.1 (girls); overweight father: OR 1.8 (boys)/2.4 (girls). OR was highest for children with two obese parents (OR 7.6 (boys)/6.3 (girls). Children with one obese parent were more frequently overweight than children with one overweight parent. CONCLUSIONS: Parental BMI showed only a weak correlation with the BMI of their children. However, children's risk of becoming overweight increased with parental overweight and obesity. Thus, familial disposition has to be taken into account to identify risk groups for preventive measures.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Serum homocysteine, B12 and folic acid concentration in Thai overweight and obese subjects.

This study investigated levels of serum homocysteine, vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin C, in 37 male and 112 female overweight and obese Thai volunteers (body mass index; BMI > or = 25.00), and 23 male and 90 female normal-weight Thai volunteers, who came for a physical check-up at the Out-patient Department, General Practice Section, Rajvithi Hospital, Bangkok from March to October of 2000. Data included anthropometric measurements and waist/hip ratios. All anthropometric variables, except height, were significantly higher for the overweight subjects than for the normal subjects. Statistically significantly higher levels of serum homocysteine were found in the overweight subjects. Serum homocysteine concentrations in overweight and obese males were significantly higher than in overweight and obese females. Serum folic acid and vitamin C in the overweight and obese were found to be statistically significantly lower than in the control subjects. No statistically significant difference in vitamin B12 was found in the overweight and obese subjects compared with the normal control subjects. The medians of serum folic acid and vitamin C concentrations for the overweight and obese males were significantly lower than those of the overweight and obese females. A negative correlation was found between serum folic acid and homocysteine concentrations in all overweight and obese subjects. A significant negative correlation between serum folic acid and vitamin B6 was observed in both male and female overweight and obese subjects. The results of the investigation suggest that homocysteine levels in overweight and obese subjects seem to be caused by insufficient dietary folic acid intake and probably not by B12 deficiency.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Ten-year trends in overweight and obesity among Danish men and women aged 30-60 years.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide. Published data of the development of obesity among adult Danes is based primarily on self-reported information of body weight and height. The objective of the study was, therefore, to describe the development over 10 y in moderate and severe overweight in Danish adults aged 30-60 y. METHOD: 1,940 men and 1,844 women, born in 1922, 1932, 1942 or 1952, participated in a first survey in 1982. A total of 808 men and 816 women, born in 1932, 1942, 1952 or 1962, were included in a second survey in 1992. The surveys originated in the Danish MONICA studies. Moderate and severe overweight were determined on the basis of body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: The prevalence of severe overweight (BMI > or = 30 kg/m2) increased from approximately 10 to 13% in men and from 9 to 11% in women (both P=0.03), corresponding to an increase in the overweight Danish subjects of about 75,000 in this age group over the period. The increase was most pronounced in the young age groups. The proportion of severe overweight in those 30 y old increased from 3.1 to 7.8% in women (P= 0.006) and from 5.0 to 9.4% in men (P=0.045). In 1992, 8% of men with more than 12 y of schooling were severely overweight, compared to 3% 10 y earlier (P= 0.045). In women with more than 12 y of schooling there was no difference. In the group with less than 7 y schooling, the proportion of severely overweight women increased from 12.8 to 19.8% (P=0.02) and severely overweight men from 15.0 to 21.2% (P= 0.048). After adjustment for differences in age and education the proportion of severely overweight men remained greater in 1992 compared to 1982. In women the proportion of severe overweight had increased among the 30 y olds only, but not the 40-60 y olds. DISCUSSION: The increase in obesity in the Danish population is in line with the general international increase. There is a considerable increase in the proportion of adult Danes with a BMI > or = 30 kg/m2 corresponding to an estimated extra 75,000 severely overweight 30-60 y olds in the period. The study also demonstrates that the increase in severe overweight is most pronounced among the men and the younger women.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Association between overweight or obesity and household income and parental body mass index in Australian youth: analysis of the Australian National Nutrition Survey, 1995.

This study is a secondary data analysis based on the 1995 Australian National Nutrition Survey (NNS). A random subsample of 1581 school children aged 7-15 years old from the NNS was studied. The results show the prevalence of overweight, obesity and combined overweight and obesity was 10.6-20.9%, 3.7-7.2% and 15.6-25.7%, respectively. The odds ratio of overweight or obese boys with highest household income was significantly smaller than those with the lowest household income. The proportion of combined overweight and obesity in children whose parents were overweight or obese was significantly greater compared with those whose parents were not. The trend of increasing prevalence of overweight or obesity among children with increasing parental body mass index (BMI) was significant after adjusting for age except the trend of father's BMI for boys. This study provided baseline data on the recent prevalence of overweight or obesity of Australian school children using new international absolute BMI cut-off points. It indicated that young school girls (7-9 years) were more likely to be overweight or obese compared with boys, the prevalence rates of overweight or obesity in older boys (13-15 year) was significantly greater than in other age groups while in girls it was the opposite. The boys with lowest household income ($0-17 500) were more likely to be overweight or obese compared with those with the highest household income (greater than $67 500). Having parents especially mothers who were overweight or obese may increase the risk of children being overweight or obese.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Overweight exceeds underweight among women in most developing countries.

BACKGROUND: It is generally believed that overweight is less prevalent than undernutrition in the developing world, particularly in rural areas, and that it is concentrated in higher socioeconomic status (SES) groups. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine patterns of adult female overweight and underweight in the developing world by using categories of urban or rural status and SES strata. DESIGN: Body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) data collected in 36 countries from 1992 to 2000 by nationally representative cross-sectional surveys of women aged 20-49 y (n = 148579) were classified as indicating underweight (BMI < 18.5) and overweight (BMI >/= 25). Associations between the nutritional status of urban and rural women and each country's per capita gross national income (GNI) and level of urbanization were explored in the overall sample and among different SES groups. RESULTS: Overweight exceeded underweight in well over half of the countries: the median ratio of overweight to underweight was 5.8 in urban and 2.1 in rural areas. Countries with high GNIs and high levels of urbanization had not only high absolute prevalences of overweight but also small urban-rural differences in overweight and very high ratios of overweight to underweight. In the more-developed countries, overweight among low-SES women was high in both rural (38%) and urban (51%) settings. Even many poor countries, countries in which underweight persists as a significant problem, had fairly high prevalences of rural overweight. CONCLUSIONS: In most developing economies, prevalences of overweight in young women residing in both urban and rural areas are higher than those in underweight women, especially in countries at higher levels of socioeconomic development. Research is needed to assess male and child overweight to understand the dynamics facing these groups as well.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Prevalence and predictive value of overweight in an urban HIV care clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and predictive value of overweight in an urban HIV clinic. METHODS: Medical records of all new adult, nonpregnant registrants in 1996 in an urban HIV clinic with at least one height and weight measurement were reviewed. Body mass index (BMI) at clinic enrollment was calculated, and prevalence of overweight was thus determined. The subsequent clinical course of the overweight group was compared with that of a randomly selected group of gender-stratified non-overweight patients. RESULTS: At baseline, 12.6% of men and 32.5% of women were overweight. Female gender and lack of AIDS diagnosis were independently associated with overweight. More than one half of women and 19.6% of men were overweight at some point during the study. Providers were more likely to properly acknowledge underweight than overweight. Among patients without AIDS, there was a trend toward slower disease progression and lower viral load in overweight patients, despite similar baseline CD4+ lymphocyte counts and similar time to initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy. In multivariate proportional hazards analyses, lower baseline BMI and falling BMI during follow-up were independently predictive of progression to AIDS. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight was a common and underrecognized finding, particularly among women. Overweight patients may progress more slowly to AIDS than non-overweight patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Onset of overweight during childhood and adolescence in relation to race and sex.

Overweight [body mass index (BMI) percentile > or = 95th] in children has become a major public health problem. The age when overweight begins and how it progresses are mostly unknown. Such information would be important for the optimal timing of prevention. We conducted a survival analysis on time to overweight and compared survival curves by race and sex. Data from a cohort of 924 children recruited from schools in Indianapolis, IN, were analyzed. Blacks were at greater risk for becoming overweight than whites. Similar findings were obtained when at risk of overweight (BMI percentile > or = 85th and <95th) and overweight were considered as a single category. Twenty-five percent of blacks were overweight or at risk of overweight at or before age 7 yr, whereas it was age 11 yr in white females and age 10 yr in white males when 25% became overweight or were at risk of becoming overweight. The overall overweight-free survival curve for black females was significantly different from that for white females (P < 0.001), and black males were significantly different from white males (P = 0.04). There was no sex difference. The time to overweight during childhood and adolescence varies by race, indicating the need for race-specific timing of interventions.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Maternal perceptions of overweight preschool children.

CONTEXT: Childhood obesity is a major public health problem, and prevention efforts should begin early in life and involve parents. OBJECTIVE: To determine what factors are associated with mothers' failure to perceive when their preschool children are overweight. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTINGS: Offices of private pediatricians and clinics of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). PARTICIPANTS: Six hundred twenty-two mothers with children 23 to 60 months of age. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal demographic variables, maternal self-reported height and weight, and children's measured height and weight. Mothers were asked whether they considered themselves or their children overweight. RESULTS: Forty-five percent of mothers had low education (high school degree or less) and 55% had high education (some college or more). Obesity (body mass index: >/=30 kg/m(2)) was more common in the low education group of mothers (30% vs 17%), and their children tended to be more overweight (weight-for-height percentile: >/=90th; 19% vs 14%). Ninety-five percent of obese mothers believed that they were overweight, with no difference between education groups. However, 79% of mothers failed to perceive their overweight child as overweight. Among the 99 mothers with overweight children, low maternal education was associated with a failure to perceive their children as overweight after adjusting for low family income (</=185% of poverty), maternal obesity, age, and smoking plus the child's age, race, and gender (adjusted odds ratio: 6.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.7-22.5). CONCLUSIONS: Obesity was more common in mothers with less education as well as in their children. Nearly all of the obese mothers regarded themselves as overweight. However, the majority of mothers did not view their overweight children as overweight, and this misperception was more common in mothers with less education. Childhood obesity prevention efforts are unlikely to be successful without a better understanding of how mothers perceive the problem of overweight in their preschool children.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Influence of excess adiposity on exercise fitness and performance in overweight children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Relatively little is known about how excess body mass affects adolescents' capacity to perform sustained exercise. We hypothesized that most of the difficulty that severely overweight adolescents have with sustained exercise occurs because the metabolic costs of moving excess mass result in use of a high proportion of their total oxygen reserve. METHODS: We compared results from a maximal cycle ergometry fitness test in 129 severely overweight adolescents who had BMIs of 41.5 +/- 9.7 kg/m2 and ages of 14.5 +/- 1.8 years (range: 12.1-17.8 years) and 34 nonoverweight adolescents who had BMIs of 20.1 +/- 2.9 kg/m2 and ages of 14.5 +/- 1.5 years (range: 12.0-18.1 years). Oxygen uptake (Vo2) was compared at 3 times: during a 4-minute period of unloaded cycling (ULVo2), at the lactate threshold estimated by gas exchange (LTVo2), and at maximal exertion (Vo2 max). Heart rate was obtained at rest and at Vo2 max. Participants also completed a 12-minute walk/run performance test to obtain distance traveled (D12) and heart rate. RESULTS: Absolute LTVo2 and Vo2 max and LTVo2 as a percentage of Vo2 max were not different in overweight and nonoverweight adolescents during the cycle test. However, absolute ULVo2 was significantly greater in overweight adolescents: ULVo2 accounted for 35 +/- 8% of Vo2 max (and 63 +/- 15% of LTVo2) in overweight adolescents but only 20 +/- 5% of Vo2 max (and 39 +/- 12% of LTVo2) in nonoverweight adolescents. Resting heart rate before initiating the cycle test was significantly greater in overweight than nonoverweight adolescents (94 +/- 14 vs 82 +/- 15 beats per minute). However, maximal heart rate during the cycle test was significantly lower in overweight adolescents (186 +/- 13 vs 196 +/- 11 beats per minute). During the walk/run test, mean D12 was significantly shorter for overweight than for nonoverweight adolescents (1983 +/- 323 vs 1159 +/- 194 m). D12 was negatively related to BMI SDS (r = -0.81) and to ULVo2 (r = -0.98). DISCUSSION: Overweight and nonoverweight adolescents had similar absolute Vo2 at the lactate threshold and at maximal exertion, suggesting that overweight adolescents are more limited by the increased cardiorespiratory effort required to move their larger body mass through space than by cardiorespiratory deconditioning. The higher percentage of oxygen consumed during submaximal exercise indicates that overweight adolescents are burdened by the metabolic cost of their excess mass. Their greater oxygen demand during an unloaded task predicted poorer performance during sustained exercise. Exercise prescriptions for overweight adolescents should account for the limited exercise tolerance imposed by excess body mass, focusing on activities that keep demands below lactate threshold so that exercise can be sustained.

Adipose Tissue↗

PubMed2003

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in relation to social and behavioral factors (Lithuanian health behavior monitoring).

The aim of the study is to estimate the trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Lithuanian adult population and to examine the association of social and health behavior factors with overweight and obesity. Since 1994 five cross-sectional surveys have been conducted among adult population aged 20-64 within the international FINBALT HEALTH MONITOR project. An independent national random sample of 3000 inhabitants of Lithuania was drawn from National Population Register for each survey. The data were collected through mailed questionnaires (covering sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and self-reported height and weight). Overweight was defined as BMI>25 kg/m ( 2 ) and obesity - as BMI>30 kg/m ( 2 ). In 2002 the overall prevalence of obesity was 16% and the prevalence of overweight - 49.1%. Since 1994 both indicators have increased in men while in women the prevalence of overweight has decreased. The prevalence of obesity and overweight increased with age. Obesity and overweight were least prevalent among the highly educated women, but most prevalent among the highly educated men. Women living in cities were less obese and overweight than those living in towns and villages. Obesity and overweight were less prevalent among daily smokers and physically active persons. Women drinking beer at least once a week were less obese and overweight than those who consumed beer more rarely. There was no consistent association between nutrition habits and the prevalence of obesity and overweight. The National obesity control program aimed at promotion of healthy nutrition and physical activity should be elaborated in order to decrease the prevalence of obesity and overweight in Lithuanian population.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Overweight among high school children: how does Wisconsin rank?

BACKGROUND: The rate of childhood overweight is increasing among our nation's youth. This epidemic has led to an increase of comorbidities such as high blood pressure and diabetes being treated in the pediatric population. This paper analyzes self-reported heights and weights to determine trends in the prevalence of overweight among US students in grades 9-12. METHODS: Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System from 1999 to 2003 were used to determine the prevalence of overweight--which is defined as a BMI < 85th percentile for age and gender--in 41 participating states. (Data from the "at risk of overweight" group [defined as BMI > or = 85 percentile and < 95 percentile] and the "overweight" group [defined as BMI > or = 95 percentile] were combined and labeled as "overweight" [BMI > or = 85 percentile] to make communication of results more clear.) RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight adolescents in Wisconsin increased slightly during the past 4 years, from 22.6% in 1999 to 24.1% in 2003, with adolescent males 50% more likely than females to be overweight. In 2003, Wisconsin's rate of overweight was the 14th lowest among 41 states reporting to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Colorado is lowest at 15.7% and Mississippi is highest at 31.4%.) When examining races separately, Wisconsin's ranking decreases slightly, but remains in the top half of all states reporting. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of childhood overweight in Wisconsin appears to be rising, following the national trend. The prevalence of overweight among high school students is lowest in the Rocky Mountain states. Understanding reasons for these differences may shed light on strategies to decrease overweight in Wisconsin.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Ethnic and sex variations in overweight self-perception: relationship to sedentariness.

OBJECTIVE: With increasing frequency, health promotion messages advocating physical activity are claiming weight loss as a benefit. However, messages promoting physical activity as a weight loss strategy may have limited effectiveness and cross-cultural relevance. We recently found self-perceived overweight to be a more robust correlate of sedentary behavior than BMI in Los Angeles County adults. In this study, we examined ethnic and sex differences in overweight self-perception and their association with sedentariness in this sample. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: We conducted bivariate and multivariate analyses of cross-sectional survey data from a representative sample of Los Angeles County adults. RESULTS: Women were more likely to perceive themselves to be overweight than men overall (73.2% of overweight/non-obese and 24.1% of average weight women vs. 44.5% of overweight/non-obese and 5.6% of average weight men) and within each ethnic group. African-Americans were least likely (41.3% of overweight/non-obese African-Americans self-identified as overweight) and whites were most likely to consider themselves overweight (60.6% of overweight/non-obese whites self-identified as overweight). Overweight (vs. average weight) self-perception was correlated with sedentariness among average weight adults (45.3% vs. 33.0%, p < 0.001), overweight adults (43.4% vs. 33.6%, p < 0.001), men (average and overweight: 38.4% vs. 27.8%, p < 0.001), overweight whites (41.9% vs. 29.7%, p = 0.0012), and African-Americans and Latinos (41.6% vs. 33.9%, p = 0.005). DISCUSSION: These data suggest that our society's emphasis on weight loss rather than lifestyle change may inadvertently discourage physical activity adoption/maintenance among non-obese individuals. However, further research is needed, particularly from prospective cohort and intervention studies, to elucidate the relationship between overweight self-perception and healthy lifestyle change.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Overweight, obesity, weight-related concerns and behaviours in Hong Kong Chinese children and adolescents.

AIM: To study the prevalence of overweight and obesity, and weight-related concerns and behaviours among overweight, obese and non-overweight children and adolescents. METHODS: We carried out a cross-sectional survey of all Chinese students in primary schools in the Central and Western District of Hong Kong in March 2002. Thirty-one of 32 schools participated, and 5402 boys and 5371 girls aged 8 to 15 y who completed a standardized questionnaire were included. We used the International Obesity Task Force definition (IOTF reference) to define overweight and obesity. RESULTS: The prevalence (95% CI) of overweight was 16.4% (15.7-17.1%) (19.9% in boys, 12.9% in girls), and that of obesity was 7.7% (7.2-8.2%) (10.3% in boys and 5.1% in girls). The combined prevalence of overweight and obesity was similar to that based on the local reference. Overweight children had more concerns about their weight than obese children. They were more likely than obese children to feel fat, wish to be lighter, diet and exercise to lose weight. Although obese children were heavier, they did not make more effort to lose weight than overweight children. CONCLUSIONS: The differences in weight-related concerns and behaviours among overweight, obese and non-overweight children suggested good validity of the IOTF reference and the self-reported data. The differences between overweight and obese children suggested that the two groups had different psychological states and that they needed different weight management programmes and other intervention strategies.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Maternal concern and perceptions of overweight in Australian preschool-aged children.

OBJECTIVE: To assess maternal concern about overweight in Australian preschool-aged children and factors predicting maternal concern about children's current and future weight status. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of child's body mass index and parent questionnaire. SETTING: Metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria, 2002. PARTICIPANTS: A community-based cohort of 324 4-year-old children and their parents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mothers' reports of concern about the child's current and future weight status, and perceptions of the child's weight, diet and activity relative to their peers were compared with the child's measured weight status, and parent and child characteristics. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight or obesity was 19%, but only 5% of mothers indicated concern about their child being currently overweight, while 16% worried their child would become overweight. Over 70% of mothers of overweight children saw them as being of similar weight to their peers. Most mothers saw their children as being equally or more active than other children and having a diet at least as healthy as their peers. Overweight daughters were more likely to elicit maternal concern about current weight than overweight sons (relative risk, 4.6; 95% CI, 1.1-19.8). Mothers were more likely to worry about their child's potential for future overweight if they or the child's father were overweight. CONCLUSIONS: Despite mounting public concern about childhood obesity in Australia, most mothers surveyed were not concerned about their child's weight, and many mothers did not perceive their overweight children as different from their peers. This may have implications for interventions that rely on acknowledgement of child overweight as a first step to change.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Prevalence of overweight among elementary and middle school students in Mississippi compared with prevalence data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the Child and Youth Prevalence of Overweight Survey was to estimate the prevalence of overweight and at risk for becoming overweight among children in Mississippi (grades 1-8) using height and weight measures instead of self-report and to compare the findings for grades 6 through 8 with data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System for middle school students (grades 6-8). METHODS: Students in randomly selected classes from 37 sampled elementary and middle schools throughout Mississippi participated in the study. School staff were trained to collect height and weight data using a standardized procedure. RESULTS: Overall, 24.0% of students in grades 1 through 8 were found to be overweight, and another 14.7% were at risk for becoming overweight. With the exception of sixth grade, there was a trend of increasing prevalence of overweight by grade (17.5% in grade 1 compared with 31.3% in grade 8). In the Child and Youth Prevalence of Overweight Survey, 25.2% of students in grades 6 through 8 were found to be overweight, compared with 18.5% in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. CONCLUSION: A high percentage of students in Mississippi are already overweight in first grade, and the prevalence tends to increase by grade. Data collected from middle school students through measured heights and weights in the Child and Youth Prevalence of Overweight Survey were higher than self-reported data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Our data suggest that self-reported data underestimate the prevalence of overweight among middle school students. Efforts to monitor students' body mass index and assess effectiveness of interventions should include all grades and use measured heights and weights rather than self-reports.

Child↗

PubMed2004

Ethnic differences in the prevalence of overweight among young children in Hawaii.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the prevalence of overweight among young children of different ethnic backgrounds and describe the age pattern of overweight in early childhood. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 21,911 children, 12 to 59 months old, participating in the Hawaii Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children in 1997-1998. They were grouped in eight ethnic categories. For 1-year-olds we defined overweight as weight-for-age at the 95th percentile or more and underweight as weight-for-age at less than the 10th percentile. For 2- to 4-year-olds overweight was defined as body mass index (BMI) at the 95th percentile or more, underweight as BMI less than 10th percentile, tall stature as height-for-age at the 95th percentile or more, and short stature as height-for-age at less than the 10th percentile. The National Center for Health Statistics 2000 growth charts were the reference values. The analysis included bivariate and multivariate methods. RESULTS: Large differences were found among ethnic groups. Among 1-year-olds, Samoans were the heaviest (17.5% overweight) and Filipinos the lightest (30.2% underweight). Among 2- to 4-year-olds, Samoans were the heaviest (27.0% overweight) and the tallest (16.9% tall), whereas Asians were the lightest (12.2% underweight), and Filipinos the shortest (19.0% short). Hawaiians and Asians also had a high percentage of short children (13.6% and 12.2%, respectively). Prevalence of overweight in all 2- to 4-year-olds was more than the expected 5%, especially for Samoans, Filipinos, Hawaiians, and Asians. At age 2 to 4 years, overweight was almost twice as prevalent as at age 1. Multivariate analysis showed that ethnicity (Samoan) had the strongest independent association with weight-for-age percentile, BMI, and overweight in the two age groups, followed by birth weight. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study of overweight among children of Asian and Pacific Island backgrounds in Hawaii. It identified important characteristics of growth and will be helpful in the design of appropriate activities to prevent overweight.

Acculturation↗

PubMed2004

Associations between blood pressure and overweight defined by new standards for body mass index in childhood.

BACKGROUND: Using data from a longitudinal study of young Australians, we applied recent international standards for overweight and obesity to examine associations with blood pressure (BP) and to determine the prevalence and degree of tracking of overweight and obesity. We also aimed to examine socioeconomic status in relation to these variables. METHODS: BP, height, and weight were measured at 3-year intervals from age 9 to 18, and then at 25 years of age in a Western Australian cohort. At these stages, data were available for 1,036, 1,310, 618, 615 and 600 individuals, respectively. RESULTS: We found 10% of 9-year-old males to be overweight or obese, while among 12-year-olds, 13% were overweight or obese; at age 15, and still at age 18, overweight or obesity was registered in 17% of this population and it rose to 42% among the 25-year-old young men. The percentage of overweight or obese females at these stages was initially 8, then 12 (at age 12), 11 (at age 15), 14 (at age 18) and finally 32. Overweight or obesity tracked to young adult life in 16% of those overweight or obese at 9, 24% at 12, 34% at 15 and 35% at 18 years. Systolic BP was significantly higher in the overweight or obese except in 12-year-olds. At the age of 25 years, 53% of men had high normal BP or were hypertensive. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing overweight or obesity in young Australians, consistent with international trends, has serious health implications. Overweight and obesity show tracking and are predictors of higher blood pressure, except in early adolescence.

Adolescent↗