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. 2010 Mar-Apr;125(2):218-24.
doi: 10.1177/003335491012500210.

Trends in prevalence of obesity and overweight among children enrolled in the New York State WIC program, 2002-2007

Jackson P Sekhobo  1 , Lynn S Edmunds, Daniel K Reynolds, Karen Dalenius, Andrea Sharma
Affiliations

Trends in prevalence of obesity and overweight among children enrolled in the New York State WIC program, 2002-2007

Jackson P Sekhobo et al. Public Health Rep. 2010 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Objectives: We examined recent overweight and obesity trends in a multiethnic population of low-income preschool children.

Methods: We defined overweight as sex-specific body mass index (BMI)-forage > or = 85th and < 95th percentile and obesity as sex-specific BMI-for-age > or = 95th percentile, and calculated them using demographic data and randomly selected height and weight measurements that were recorded while 2- to < 5-year-old children were enrolled in the New York State (NYS) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) during 2002-2007.

Results: Obesity prevalence peaked at 16.7% in 2003, declined from 2003 through 2005, and stabilized at 14.7% through 2007. Among both boys and girls, the downward trend in annual prevalence of obesity was evident only among Hispanic children (22.8% boys and 20.9% girls in 2002 vs. 19.3% boys and 17.5% girls in 2007) and non-Hispanic black children (15.6% boys and 14.2% girls in 2002 vs. 13.6% boys and 12.4% girls in 2007). In contrast, the annual prevalence estimate for overweight showed an increasing trend from 2002 through 2007.

Conclusions: These results showed a slight decline in prevalence of childhood obesity and a continuing rise in prevalence of childhood overweight among children enrolled in the NYS WIC program during 2002-2007. Future research should investigate the extent to which the slight decline in childhood obesity prevalence may be attributable to population-based and high-risk obesity prevention efforts in NYS.

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Figures

Figure.
Figure.
Trends in prevalence of obesitya and overweightb among children 2 to <5 years of age participating in the New York State WIC program, 2002–2007
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