Obesity rates are finally on the decline, at least for children between the ages of 2 and 4, according to a new announcement from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. The study, which focused specifically on low-income youngsters between the years of 2008 and 2011, found declining obesity numbers in 18 U.S. states as well as the Virgin Islands. Dr. Tom Frieden said that although the decline was admittedly minor at just 1% to 2%, it’s significant because it represents positive progress rather than yet another concession to rising obesity rates.
Any progress might be a good sign, as being obese during childhood is well-known to have far-reaching health effects. Obese children have a much higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea. Being obese as a child can also lead to a shorter life expectancy.
Big Declines in New Jersey, Georgia, More
Declines in preschool obesity rates were most pronounced in the U.S. Virgin Islands, where approximately 2.6% fewer preschoolers were obese in 2011 than in 2008. Other states that saw major declines included New Jersey, Georgia, South Dakota, Missouri and Florida.
Unfortunately, obesity rates actually rose in three states, including Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Colorado.
About 20 states didn’t see any significant change in obesity rates among preschoolers while the CDC tracked data. Other states such as Louisiana, Utah and Texas were excluded from the CDC study because they modified their data collection methods before the study concluded.
Childhood Obesity in America
Approximately one-eighth of U.S. preschoolers are obese, and these same children are at five times greater risk for being obese, or at least overweight, in adulthood in comparison to their peers who are of a normal weight.
About 12 million young children were included in the new CDC study, all of whom were taking part in federal nutrition programs at the time the study data was collected.
At the time of the study’s close, obesity rates among preschoolers varied widely from state to state. The leanest state was Hawaii, where just 9.2% of preschoolers were considered obese, while the highest obesity rates in the contiguous United States were found in Rhode Island and New Jersey at 16.6%. Puerto Rico had the highest obesity rate of all at 17.9%.
Positive Steps, but More Work Remains
CDC researchers were unable to pinpoint the exact reasons behind the dropping obesity rates among young children, though they posed some theories. They believe that national efforts to make parents more aware of the importance of exercise and sound nutrition, as well as the dangers of too much screen-time for kids, are beginning to pay off. The researchers also believe that breastfeeding’s increasing popularity is helping as well, since studies show that children who are breastfed are less likely to be obese.
However, the CDC also recognizes that there’s much more progress to be made. They say that some of the keys to further lowering childhood obesity rates include improving access children and families have to healthy foods, opening new exercise opportunities in the form of playgrounds and gyms, and continuing to raise awareness among parents of the dangers of obesity and how it can be prevented.
The Bottom Line
Obesity rates are dropping, albeit incrementally, among preschoolers between the ages of 2 and 4, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The full text of the CDC report is available in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.