Measuring the prevalence of overweight in Texas schoolchildren.
OBJECTIVE
We describe results from year 1 of a surveillance system to monitor body mass index in children at the state level.


METHODS
A sample of 6630 children attending Texas public schools, weighted to represent 4th, 8th, and 11th grades within race/ethnic subpopulations, was assessed. Body mass index was calculated from measured height and weight; demographic information was obtained from a questionnaire.


RESULTS
Prevalence of overweight was 22.4%, 19.2%, and 15.5% for 4th-, 8th-, and 11th-grade students, respectively. Overweight prevalence was highest among Hispanic boys (29.5%-32.6%), fourth-grade Hispanic girls (26.7%), and fourth- and eighth-grade African American girls (30.8% and 23.1%, respectively). Eleventh-grade White/other girls had the lowest prevalence of overweight (5.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
These data confirm the increasing prevalence of overweight among US children, especially among Hispanic and African American students compared to White/other students and fourth-grade students relative to 8th- and 11th-grade students.
Hoelscher
Deanna M
DM
Human Nutrition Center, University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Hermann Pressler Drive, W RAS 920, Houston, TX 77030, USA. deanna.m.hoelscher@uth.tmc.edu
Day
R Sue
RS
Lee
Eun Sul
ES
Frankowski
Ralph F
RF
Kelder
Steven H
SH
Ward
Jerri L
JL
Scheurer
Michael E
ME
D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D013781:Texas / Q000453:epidemiology