Latest Obesity Trends Offer Mixed Picture

Obesity among preschoolers ages 2 to 5 dropped from approximately 14% in 2003-04 to 8.4% in 2011-12, according to new research in the February 26 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association.  However, there was no change in obesity prevalence for all children and adolescents between 2 and 19 years of age – and obesity prevalence among women age 60 and over increased significantly from 31% to 38% over this period.

The article, “Prevalence of Childhood and Adult Obesity in the United States, 2011-2012,” authored by Cynthia L. Ogden, Margaret D. Carroll, Brian K. Kit, and Katherine M. Flegal of the National Center for Health Statistics, shows that 17% of youth and 35% of adults age 20 and over in the United States are obese.

The study is based on analysis of  data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), covering two-year cycles from 2003-04 through 2011-12.