High prevalence of overweight and obesity in homeless Baltimore children and their caregivers: a pilot study.
BACKGROUND
In the past, nutritional deficiencies were common among homeless families. Because obesity is currently a major public health issue in the United States, it is possible that obesity has supplanted nutritional deficiencies as the "new malnutrition" of the homeless.


OBJECTIVE
To perform a pilot study to determine the nutritional status of homeless caregivers and their children in the Baltimore City, Maryland.


METHODS
Determination of weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) (weight in kg/height in m2) of all subjects and correlation with demographic variables.


METHODS
Six homeless shelters and transitional houses in Baltimore City.


METHODS
Thirty-one caregivers and 60 children.


METHODS
Relationship between caregiver BMI and child BMI and comparison of our data to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) norms.


RESULTS
Forty-two percent of the children (25 of 60) had a BMI-for-age classifying them as at risk for overweight (18%) or overweight (23%). None were underweight. One hundred percent of girls and 88% of boys under age 7 years were in the normal range for BMI. There were no caregivers in the underweight range for BMI. Seventy-seven percent were either overweight (26%) or obese (51%). When the weight categories of the largely African-American homeless Baltimore caregivers and their children were compared with national data from NHANES 1999-2002 for both African-American poor and nonpoor adult females and children, the Baltimore subjects had the lowest proportion in the healthy range and the highest proportion in the obese (adults) and overweight (children) categories. Caregiver BMI correlated with child BMI: r = 0.43, P = .0002.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that overweight and obesity are the major forms of malnutrition in homeless families.
Schwarz
Kathleen B
KB
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Garrett
Beth
B
Hampsey
Jenifer
J
Thompson
Douglas
D
D000328:Adult; D015142:Baltimore / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D018453:Homeless Youth; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D050177:Overweight / Q000502:physiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence