Obesity Rate for Young Children Plummets 43% in a Decade

Capt_Apollo

Federal health authorities on Tuesday reported a 43 percent drop in the obesity rate among 2- to 5-year-old children over the past decade, the first broad decline in an epidemic that often leads to lifelong struggles with weight and higher risks for cancer, heart disease and stroke.

I think this is a great success story on a nationwide level. Read it all here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/health/obesity-rate-for-young-children-plummets-43-in-a-decade.html?_r=0

jonnythan

Wow. That's surprising. And awesome.

beachlover317

Surprising and pretty awesome. Maybe something is finally sinking in. :drinker:

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

That's awesome! Hope the trend continues.

DamePiglet

Excellent news. I hope it continues.

sassyjae21

Yay!!!! Parents might be finally getting it

DamePiglet

That's awesome! Hope the trend continues.

HA! Same statement same time

EvgeniZyntx

rain:

Analysis of time trends depends on what is chosen as the initial point of examination. In this analysis, we selected 2003-2004 as the starting point because previous analyses had shown no change in sex- or race/Hispanic origin–specific trends in obesity prevalence between 2003-2004 and 2009-2010.8,9 The selection of the initial point can have an effect on findings. For example, analyses of childhood obesity trends between 1976-1980 and 2011-2012 show an increase in childhood obesity, whereas trends between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012 do not.

tigersword

Obesity in adults has also been falling. Slightly falling, stagnated for a couple years, began going down recently.

This is pretty much why I laugh at all the supposed steps that need to be taken to solve this "problem" that's already solving itself.

beachlover317

rain:

Analysis of time trends depends on what is chosen as the initial point of examination. In this analysis, we selected 2003-2004 as the starting point because previous analyses had shown no change in sex- or race/Hispanic origin–specific trends in obesity prevalence between 2003-2004 and 2009-2010.8,9 The selection of the initial point can have an effect on findings. For example, analyses of childhood obesity trends between 1976-1980 and 2011-2012 show an increase in childhood obesity, whereas trends between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012 do not.

Well. My parade is over. :laugh:

WendyTerry420

Good news! Education and awareness really goes a long way.

EvgeniZyntx

rain:

Analysis of time trends depends on what is chosen as the initial point of examination. In this analysis, we selected 2003-2004 as the starting point because previous analyses had shown no change in sex- or race/Hispanic origin–specific trends in obesity prevalence between 2003-2004 and 2009-2010.8,9 The selection of the initial point can have an effect on findings. For example, analyses of childhood obesity trends between 1976-1980 and 2011-2012 show an increase in childhood obesity, whereas trends between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012 do not.

Well. My parade is over. :laugh:

I'm sorry. :embarassed:

Obesity rates do seem to be stabilizing so volatility might be normal.
But even the NYT spins the headlines.

xiamjackie

2-5 year olds are not where we see the biggest percentage of obesity anyway. Where do you see an obese 2 year old? They usually don't even like to eat. Obesity sets in as the kids get older, around 4th and 5th grade, through 9th grade. Kindergartners are all kind of these little tiny, scrawny kids and you usually have to beg them to eat their lunch.


I have no statistics to back this up. This is just my observation through working at day cares, day camps, and elementary/ middle schools over the past 5 years. I'd like to see what the focus is with kids ages 9-15.


Actually, I did find a source to quote.

In regards to the US-

Percent of adolescents age 12-19 years who are obese: 18.4% (2009-2010)
Percent of children age 6-11 years who are obese: 18.0% (2009-2010)
Percent of children age 2-5 years who are obese: 12.1% (2009-2010)

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/overwt.htm

It's good that any obesity rates at all are declining, but more focus should be put on higher age groups and why they seem to become overweight or obese as they get slightly older.

DamePiglet

2-5 year olds are not where we see the biggest percentage of obesity anyway. Where do you see an obese 2 year old? They usually don't even like to eat. Obesity sets in as the kids get older, around 4th and 5th grade, through 9th grade. Kindergartners are all kind of these little tiny, scrawny kids and you usually have to beg them to eat their lunch.


I have no statistics to back this up. This is just my observation through working at day cares, day camps, and elementary/ middle schools over the past 5 years. I'd like to see what the focus is with kids ages 9-15.

9 - 15? Ugh. I'd almost hate to see those stats.

55Megamus

settle down people, this is a misleading headline used to hype up a story (or non-story). I'm trying to get the full report but I'm having a bit of trouble but from what I got "More than one-third of adults and 17% of youth in the United States are obese, although the prevalence remained stable between 2003-2004 and 2009-2010" and " Overall, there was no significant change from 2003-2004 through 2011-2012 in high weight for recumbent length among infants and toddlers, obesity in 2- to 19-year-olds, or obesity in adults." and finally "Overall, there have been no significant changes in obesity prevalence in youth or adults between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012. Obesity prevalence remains high and thus it is important to continue surveillance."

I cant find the full methods yet but I would need to see the method of categorization used for both their 2004 data and 2012 data, it is possible that the methods could have been different for each study thus confusing the numbers. for example a while back one national organization switched the guidelines for categorization of overweight and obese from one method to another and overnight made millions of people obese, simply by using a different categorization.

I also strongly oppose BMI as a screening method in children, especially in the 2-5 yr old range they are hyping up. Think about it, these kids are in a rapid state of unpredictable growth making it very difficult to accurately categorize them. BMI tells you nothing about the success or health of children, I would be more interested in objective measures of health behaviors, mental health, social outcomes, school performance......... these are the things that mean something.

I don't mean to be a downer, but don't be fooled by over-hyped headlines, I guarantee that we have not made any significant strides in the battle with obesity, adult or childhood. We still do not know enough about it and the world we live in is heavily stacked against our fight.

Take headlines with a grain of salt

Go_Mizzou99

I hate to rain on the good news, but remember Abraham Lincoln's quote, "There are lies, damned lies, and then there are statistics." Being an engineer I dug deeper. Here is the real truth from the article...buried in paragraph 4.

>>>SHE CAUTIONED THAT THESE VERY YOUNG CHILDREN MAKE UP A TINY FRACTION OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION AND THAT THE FIGURES FOR THE BROADER SOCIETY HAD REMAINED FLAT, AND HAD EVEN INCREASED FOR WOMEN OVER 60.<<<

Only the promising data (sliver) was headlined, but the overall results were unchanged. This is purely data mining.

Sorry people.

GorillaNJ

rain:

Analysis of time trends depends on what is chosen as the initial point of examination. In this analysis, we selected 2003-2004 as the starting point because previous analyses had shown no change in sex- or race/Hispanic origin–specific trends in obesity prevalence between 2003-2004 and 2009-2010.8,9 The selection of the initial point can have an effect on findings. For example, analyses of childhood obesity trends between 1976-1980 and 2011-2012 show an increase in childhood obesity, whereas trends between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012 do not.

64.8% of all statistics are made up

Beckboo0912

I hate to rain on the good news, but remember Abraham Lincoln's quote, "There are lies, damned lies, and then there are statistics." Being an engineer I dug deeper. Here is the real truth from the article...buried in paragraph 4.

>>>SHE CAUTIONED THAT THESE VERY YOUNG CHILDREN MAKE UP A TINY FRACTION OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION AND THAT THE FIGURES FOR THE BROADER SOCIETY HAD REMAINED FLAT, AND HAD EVEN INCREASED FOR WOMEN OVER 60.<<<

Only the promising data (sliver) was headlined, but the overall results were unchanged. This is purely data mining.

Sorry people.

So you've lost 70lbs but still have some to go...so what you lost doesn't count? I'm just asking...A small part is still a part and there are obese kids...if you have a shorter child say in the 10th percent but his weight is in the 90th percent he is considered obese.

WendyTerry420

I guarantee that we have not made any significant strides in the battle with obesity, adult or childhood.

I guarantee that you have no proof of this. :smokin:

jonnythan

I guarantee that we have not made any significant strides in the battle with obesity, adult or childhood.

Well heck, if I have a guarantee I guess I don't have to worry.

55Megamus

I guarantee that we have not made any significant strides in the battle with obesity, adult or childhood.

I guarantee that you have no proof of this. :smokin:

Listen, this is my job, I research obesity, I am current on all of the peer-reviewed scientific data on the topic, There is nothing to suggest we are doing any better with obesity, feel free to look up some studies, I'm not in the mood to do your research for you