Obesity Rates Drop Among Low Income Preschoolers in 19 states: CDC

First Posted: Aug 07, 2013 04:38 AM EDT
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A latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that obesity rates among low income preschoolers have declined from 2008 to 2011.

According to the Vital signs report from CDC, obesity rates among low income preschoolers have dropped in 19 states in the United States. Nearly one percent decrease in obesity rates was found in New Jersey, Florida, U.S. Virgin Islands, Missouri, Georgia and South Dakota whereas the obesity rates remained the same in Puerto Rico and twenty other states. There was a slight increase in the obesity rates in three states.

"Although obesity remains epidemic, the tide has begun to turn for some kids in some states," said CDC Director, Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. "While the changes are small, for the first time in a generation they are going in the right direction.  Obesity in early childhood increases the risk of serious health problems for life."

A research done earlier stated that the U.S. alone contributes to a third of world's obesity as 6 percent of the global population resides in the United States. There are nearly 111 million overweight people in the U.S.

Prior to this, studies have revealed that one in eight preschoolers in the U.S. are obese and if kids are obese between the ages of three and five they are more likely to be overweight as adults.

The CDC statistics reveal that 17 percent of all children and adolescents in the U.S. are affected with obesity. This is three times the rate from just one generation ago.

"Today's announcement reaffirms my belief that together, we are making a real difference in helping kids across the country get a healthier start to life," said First Lady Michelle Obama.  "We know how essential it is to set our youngest children on a path towards a lifetime of healthy eating and physical activity, and more than 10,000 childcare programs participating in the Let's Move! Child Care initiative is doing vitally important work on this front.  Yet, while this announcement reflects important progress, we also know that there is tremendous work still to be done to support healthy futures for all our children."

This report was based on the analysis of weight and height of 12 million children of age two to four years old. They had participated in federally funded maternal- and child-nutrition programs.

Janet L. Collins, Ph.D., director of CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity states that the states in which a decline in obesity rate has been noticed have been taking strict actions to include healthy eating and active living in the lives of children.

In order to drive down the childhood obesity rates CDC is encouraging the state and local officials to take up initiatives to curb the growing rate of childhood obesity. 

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