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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Prevalence of obesity and extreme obesity in children aged 3-5 years

J C Lo1, B Maring, M Chandra

  • 1Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center, Oakland, CA, USA.

Pediatric Obesity
|May 17, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Early childhood obesity is prevalent in preschool-aged children, with higher rates in boys and Hispanic children. Early recognition and intervention are crucial for effective weight management strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Health
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Early childhood adiposity is linked to significant long-term health consequences.
  • This study investigates the prevalence and identification of obesity and severe obesity in preschool-aged children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity in children aged 3-5 years.
  • To examine racial/ethnic and sex-based differences in obesity prevalence.
  • To assess provider recognition of elevated Body Mass Index (BMI) in obese 5-year-olds.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized electronic medical records for 42,559 children aged 3-5 years (2007-2010).
  • Classified weight status using 2000 CDC growth charts: normal/underweight (<85th percentile), overweight (85th-94th), obesity (≥95th), severe obesity (≥1.2 × 95th).
  • Analyzed BMI, height, sex, and race/ethnicity; examined provider diagnosis for obese 5-year-olds.

Main Results:

  • Overall obesity prevalence was 12.4% for boys and 10.0% for girls.
  • Hispanic children showed the highest prevalence of obesity (18.2% boys, 15.2% girls) and severe obesity (3.3% in boys).
  • Provider diagnosis was recorded for 77.9% of obese 5-year-olds, rising to 89.0% for those with severe obesity.

Conclusions:

  • Obesity and severe obesity are present in children as young as 3-5 years.
  • Observed race/ethnic trends in early childhood obesity mirror those in older populations.
  • Highlights the necessity for early identification and tailored strategies for childhood weight management.
Abstract

Keywords:
Childrenobesitypreschoolsevere obesity

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