Increasing pediatric obesity in the United States

S. L. Gortmaker, W. H. Dietz Jr, A. M. Sobol and C. A. Wehler

Data from four national surveys indicate pronounced increases in the prevalence of pediatric obesity in the United States. Obese children are defined as those with triceps skinfolds greater than or equal to the 85th percentile of children of the same age and sex in 1963 to 1970. Superobese children are those with skinfolds greater than or equal to the 95th percentile. Compared with skinfold data from the 1963 to 1965 National Health Examination Survey, cycle 2, skinfold data from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted from 1976 to 1980, indicate a 54% increase in the prevalence of obesity among children 6 to 11 years old and a 98% increase in the prevalence of superobesity. Compared with skinfold data from the 1966 to 1970 National Health Examination Survey, cycle 3, skinfold data from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicate a 39% increase in the prevalence of obesity among children 12 to 17 years old and a 64% increase in the prevalence of superobesity. Increases occurred among children of all ages and both sexes and for both blacks and whites. Blood pressure data from the four surveys suggest that the share of pediatric hypertension associated with obesity has increased. Such rapid increases in obesity indicate that environmental causes are likely responsible.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Parental Weight Status as a Moderator of the Relationship Between Television Viewing and Childhood Overweight
Vandewater and Huang
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2006;160:425-431.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Longer Duration of Breastfeeding Decreases the Risk of Overweight
Slusser
AAP Grand Rounds 2005;14:67-68.
FULL TEXT  

Body Mass Index and Overweight in Adolescents in 13 European Countries, Israel, and the United States
Lissau et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2004;158:27-33.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A controlled study of sleep related disordered breathing in obese children
Wing et al.
Arch. Dis. Child. 2003;88:1043-1047.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Body composition and overweight prevalence in 1704 schoolchildren from 7 American Indian communities
Caballero et al.
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2003;78:308-312.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Dietary Composition and Weight Change Among Low-Income Preschool Children
Newby et al.
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2003;157:759-764.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

One-Year Changes in Activity and in Inactivity Among 10- to 15-Year-Old Boys and Girls: Relationship to Change in Body Mass Index
Berkey et al.
Pediatrics 2003;111:836-843.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Eating in the absence of hunger and overweight in girls from 5 to 7 y of age
Fisher and Birch
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2002;76:226-231.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Prevention of Overweight and Obesity in Children: Influences on the Food Environment
Haire-Joshu and Nanney
The Diabetes Educator 2002;28:415-423.
ABSTRACT  

Lipolysis in African-American Children: Is It a Metabolic Risk Factor Predisposing to Obesity?
Danadian et al.
J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2001;86:3022-3026.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Short report: Pancreatic dysfunction in severe obesity
Drake et al.
Arch. Dis. Child. 2001;84:261-262.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Do Obese Inner-City Children With Asthma Have More Symptoms Than Nonobese Children With Asthma?
Belamarich et al.
Pediatrics 2000;106:1436-1441.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Secular trends in the body mass index of Canadian children
Tremblay and Willms
CMAJ 2000;163:1429-1433.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

One- and Two-Year Predictors of Excess Weight Gain among Elementary Schoolchildren in Multiethnic, Low-Income, Inner-City Neighborhoods
O'Loughlin et al.
Am J Epidemiol 2000;152:739-746.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Body composition techniques and the four-compartment model in children
Fields and Goran
J. Appl. Physiol. 2000;89:613-620.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Racial Differences in the Lipid Profiles of Obese Children and Adolescents Before and After Significant Weight Loss
Brown et al.
CLIN PEDIATR 2000;39:427-431.
 

Activity, Dietary Intake, and Weight Changes in a Longitudinal Study of Preadolescent and Adolescent Boys and Girls
Berkey et al.
Pediatrics 2000;105:56e-56.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Effect of diet on fat cell size and hormone-sensitive lipase activity
Berger and Barnard
J. Appl. Physiol. 1999;87:227-232.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Relation between visceral fat and disease risk in children and adolescents
Goran and Gower
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1999;70 :149S-156S.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Relation of Overweight to Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among Children and Adolescents: The Bogalusa Heart Study
Freedman et al.
Pediatrics 1999;103:1175-1182.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Status of the Year 2000 Health Goals for Physical Activity and Fitness
Francis
ptjournal 1999;79:405-414.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Nutrient Intake and Food Group Consumption of 10-Year-Olds by Sugar Intake Level: The Bogalusa Heart Study
Farris et al.
J. Am. Coll. Nutr. 1998;17:579-585.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Trends in growth and obesity in ethnic groups in Britain
Chinn et al.
Arch. Dis. Child. 1998;78:513-517.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Effect of insulin on glycerol production in obese adolescents
Robinson et al.
Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 1998;274:E737-E743.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Adolescent Obesity Increases Significantly in Second and Third Generation U.S. Immigrants: The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health
Popkin and Udry
J. Nutr. 1998;128:701-706.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Overweight Children and Adolescents: Description, Epidemiology, and Demographics
Troiano and Flegal
Pediatrics 1998;101:497-504.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Effects of a High-protein, Low-fat, Ketogenic Diet on Adolescents With Morbid Obesity: Body Composition, Blood Chemistries, and Sleep Abnormalities
Willi et al.
Pediatrics 1998;101:61-67.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Epidemiology of Overweight in Children: Relevance for Clinical Care
Christoffel and Ariza
Pediatrics 1998;101:103-105.
FULL TEXT  

Increasing Prevalence of Overweight Among US Low-income Preschool Children: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance, 1983 to 1995
Mei et al.
Pediatrics 1998;101 :e12-e12.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

High Prevalence of Obesity in Low Income and Multiethnic Schoolchildren: A Diet and Physical Activity Assessment
Johnson-Down et al.
J. Nutr. 1997;127:2310-2315.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Child to adult body mass index in the 1958 British birth cohort: associations with parental obesity
Lake et al.
Arch. Dis. Child. 1997;77:376-380.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Bodyfat Analysis and Perception of Body Image
Sisson et al.
CLIN PEDIATR 1997;36:415-418.
ABSTRACT  

Characteristics of Youth-onset Noninsulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus and Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus at Diagnosis
Scott et al.
Pediatrics 1997;100:84-91.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Social and Economic Consequences of Overweight in Adolescence and Young Adulthood
Gortmaker et al.
NEJM 1993;329:1008-1012.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Body Image and Eating Behaviour in Interethnic Adolescent Girls
Walker et al.
The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health 1991;111:12-16.
ABSTRACT