Are Childhood Obesity Rates Leveling Off?
New Data Provide Insight
In California, nearly forty percent (38%) of fifth-, seventh-, and ninth-grade public school students were overweight or obese in 2010, and this prevalence largely held steady between 2005 and 2010, according to a study just released by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and the California Center for Public Health Advocacy. Despite the flat trend statewide, more than half of California counties experienced increases in rates of overweight and obesity among youth between 2005 and 2010.
The data from this study now are available on kidsdata.org, providing easy access to county-level rates of overweight and obesity for students in grades 5, 7, and 9 from 2005 to 2010. While the data suggest that California may be experiencing a leveling off in childhood overweight/obesity rates, which is similar to national trends, the increase in rates of obesity and overweight in many areas of the state underscore the need for continued attention to programs/policies that prevent and address childhood obesity. For more information on policies to influence childhood obesity, see kidsdata.org’s Policy Implications section.
Find Data for Your County
Children's Weight: Related Context
Children who are obese are at risk of developing a range of social and physical health problems including low self-esteem, discrimination from others, joint problems, sleep apnea, asthma, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. Overweight and obese children also are more likely to have weight problems as adults. More >>
Tell Your Friends and Colleagues
Those who work to improve the health and well being of children often require assistance in making their case. As a foundation devoted to bringing attention to key children's health issues, we want to make sharing up-to-date, reliable data as easy as possible. Please forward this announcement to your friends and colleagues who work on behalf of kids. |
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