Trends in Obesity Prevalence Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 1988-1994 Through 2013-2014.
OBJECTIVE
Previous analyses of obesity trends among children and adolescents showed an increase between 1988-1994 and 1999-2000, but no change between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012, except for a significant decline among children aged 2 to 5 years.


OBJECTIVE
To provide estimates of obesity and extreme obesity prevalence for children and adolescents for 2011-2014 and investigate trends by age between 1988-1994 and 2013-2014.


METHODS
Children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years with measured weight and height in the 1988-1994 through 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.


METHODS
Survey period.


METHODS
Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the sex-specific 95th percentile on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) BMI-for-age growth charts. Extreme obesity was defined as a BMI at or above 120% of the sex-specific 95th percentile on the CDC BMI-for-age growth charts. Detailed estimates are presented for 2011-2014. The analyses of linear and quadratic trends in prevalence were conducted using 9 survey periods. Trend analyses between 2005-2006 and 2013-2014 also were conducted.


RESULTS
Measurements from 40,780 children and adolescents (mean age, 11.0 years; 48.8% female) between 1988-1994 and 2013-2014 were analyzed. Among children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years, the prevalence of obesity in 2011-2014 was 17.0% (95% CI, 15.5%-18.6%) and extreme obesity was 5.8% (95% CI, 4.9%-6.8%). Among children aged 2 to 5 years, obesity increased from 7.2% (95% CI, 5.8%-8.8%) in 1988-1994 to 13.9% (95% CI, 10.7%-17.7%) (P < .001) in 2003-2004 and then decreased to 9.4% (95% CI, 6.8%-12.6%) (P = .03) in 2013-2014. Among children aged 6 to 11 years, obesity increased from 11.3% (95% CI, 9.4%-13.4%) in 1988-1994 to 19.6% (95% CI, 17.1%-22.4%) (P < .001) in 2007-2008, and then did not change (2013-2014: 17.4% [95% CI, 13.8%-21.4%]; P = .44). Obesity increased among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years between 1988-1994 (10.5% [95% CI, 8.8%-12.5%]) and 2013-2014 (20.6% [95% CI, 16.2%-25.6%]; P < .001) as did extreme obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years (3.6% [95% CI, 2.5%-5.0%] in 1988-1994 to 4.3% [95% CI, 3.0%-6.1%] in 2013-2014; P = .02) and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years (2.6% [95% CI, 1.7%-3.9%] in 1988-1994 to 9.1% [95% CI, 7.0%-11.5%] in 2013-2014; P < .001). No significant trends were observed between 2005-2006 and 2013-2014 (P value range, .09-.87).


CONCLUSIONS
In this nationally representative study of US children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years, the prevalence of obesity in 2011-2014 was 17.0% and extreme obesity was 5.8%. Between 1988-1994 and 2013-2014, the prevalence of obesity increased until 2003-2004 and then decreased in children aged 2 to 5 years, increased until 2007-2008 and then leveled off in children aged 6 to 11 years, and increased among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years.
National Center for Health Statistics, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland.
Cynthia L
CL
Ogden
National Center for Health Statistics, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland.
Margaret D
MD
Carroll
National Center for Health Statistics, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland.
Hannah G
HG
Lawman
National Center for Health Statistics, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland.
Cheryl D
CD
Fryar
National Center for Health Statistics, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland.
Deanna
D
Kruszon-Moran
National Center for Health Statistics, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland2US Public Health Service, Rockville, Maryland.
Brian K
BK
Kit
National Center for Health Statistics, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland.
Katherine M
KM
Flegal
D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult