title: Trends of overweight and obesity among white and American Indian school children in South Dakota, 1998-2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among white and American Indian children in a predominantly rural state.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a repeated, cross-sectional design of school children's height and weight, the study sample included 361,352 measures of children who were 5.0-19.9 years, attending school across 13 academic calendar years. Trained staff measured height, weight, and recorded gender, age, and race. Data were voluntarily reported to the State Department of Health.
  
  
  RESULTS
  American Indian children consistently had higher rates of overweight and obesity compared to white children. Across the years, 16.3% of white students were overweight, whereas 19.3% of American Indian students were overweight. In addition, 14.5% of white children were obese and 25.9% of American Indian children were obese. Examining by rural versus urban schools, prevalence of overweight had been increasing among white male and female students and American Indian female students living in rural areas. Obesity is also increasing among rural white females and male and female American Indian children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings here suggest that although American Indian children are at higher risk, in general, compared to white children, rural populations in general are experiencing increases in childhood overweight and obesity. Targeted rural interventions beginning at an early age are necessary to improve the health of rural children, especially in American Indian communities.
authors: School of Health, St. Catherine University, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. hearst@umn.edu
authors: Mary O
authors: MO
authors: Hearst
authors: Kristin
authors: K
authors: Biskeborn
authors: Mathew
authors: M
authors: Christensen
authors: Carrie
authors: C
authors: Cushing
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000639:trends*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult