Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026
Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Measuring the prevalence of overweight in Texas schoolchildren
Deanna M Hoelscher1, R Sue Day, Eun Sul Lee
1Human Nutrition Center, University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Hermann Pressler Drive, W RAS 920, Houston, TX 77030, USA. deanna.m.hoelscher@uth.tmc.edu
Objectives:
We describe results from year 1 of a surveillance system to monitor body mass index in children at the state level.
Methods:
A sample of 6630 children attending Texas public schools, weighted to represent 4th, 8th, and 11th grades within race/ethnic subpopulations, was assessed. Body mass index was calculated from measured height and weight; demographic information was obtained from a questionnaire.
Results:
Prevalence of overweight was 22.4%, 19.2%, and 15.5% for 4th-, 8th-, and 11th-grade students, respectively. Overweight prevalence was highest among Hispanic boys (29.5%-32.6%), fourth-grade Hispanic girls (26.7%), and fourth- and eighth-grade African American girls (30.8% and 23.1%, respectively). Eleventh-grade White/other girls had the lowest prevalence of overweight (5.5%).
Conclusions:
These data confirm the increasing prevalence of overweight among US children, especially among Hispanic and African American students compared to White/other students and fourth-grade students relative to 8th- and 11th-grade students.
