Increasing prevalence of overweight among US low-income preschool children: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pediatric nutrition surveillance, 1983 to 1995.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the prevalence of overweight in preschool children has increased among the US low-income population.


METHODS
Analysis using weight-for-height percentiles of surveillance data adjusted for age, sex, and race or ethnicity.


METHODS
Data from 18 states and the District of Columbia were examined.


METHODS
Low-income children <5 years of age who were included in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System.


RESULTS
The prevalence of overweight increased from 18.6% in 1983 to 21.6% in 1995 based on the 85th percentile cutoff point for weight-for-height, and from 8.5% to 10.2% for the same period based on the 95th percentile cutoff point. Analyses by single age, sex, and race or ethnic group (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic) all showed increases in the prevalence of overweight, although changes are greatest for older preschool children.


CONCLUSIONS
Overweight is an increasing public health problem among preschool children in the US low-income population. Additional research is needed to explore the cause of the trend observed and to find effective strategies for overweight prevention beginning in the preschool years.
Mei
Z
Z
Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341-3724, USA.
Scanlon
K S
KS
Grummer-Strawn
L M
LM
Freedman
D S
DS
Yip
R
R
Trowbridge
F L
FL
D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology