Childhood Overweight and Obesity Trends 

2007 Rates of Overweight and Obese Children

* Obesity is defined as body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI-for-age growth charts. Children with BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile are classified as overweight. BMI is calculated as weight in  kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. Children age 10-17 are included in this data. 

Source: Childhood Obesity Action Network. State Obesity Profiles, 2009. National Initiative for Children's
Healthcare Quality, Child Policy Research Center, and Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative.
Retrieved 06/02/2010 from http://wwww.nschdata.org/content/07obesityreportcards.aspx.

2005 Rates of Overweight and Obese Children

The 2005 map and 50-state chart include both obese and overweight children, based on 2005 data.

Percentage of Children Who Are Overweight or Obese: 2005*

 

* Obesity is defined as body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI-for-age growth charts. Children with BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile are classified as overweight. BMI is calculated as weight in  kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. Children age 10-17 are included in this data.                                                         

 

Source: The National Survey of Children's Health. Childhood Obesity Action Network. State Obesity Profiles, 2008. National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality, Child Policy Research Center, and Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. Retrieved 10/09/09 from http://www.nschdata.org:80/Content/ObesityReportCards.aspx.

Percentage of Overweight and Obese Children: 2005 by State
Alabama	34.6%	Montana	27.3%
Alaska	30.7%	Nebraska	26.3%
Arizona	29.7%	Nevada	26.6%
Arkasas	32.9%	New Hampshire	27.3%
California	30.0%	New Jersey	31.5%
Colorado	21.9%	New Mexico	28.6%
Connecticut	27.3%	New York	30.9%
Delaware	35.5%	New Carolina	33.9%
District of Columbia	39.5%	North Dakota	26.9%
Florida	32.5%	Ohio	30.4%
Georgia	31.7%	Oklahoma	28.2%
Hawaii	26.9%	Oregon	26.5%
Idaho	25.6%	Pennsylvania	29.3%
Illinois	31.2%	Rhode Island	27.0%
Indiana	32.9%	South Carolina	36.1%
Iowa	25.5%	South Dakota	25.8%
Kansas	30.0%	Tennessee	35.3%
Kentucky	38.2%	Texas	32.4%
Louisiana	35.6%	Utah	20.9%
Maine	30.0%	Vermont	25.6%
Maryland	29.9%	Virginia	30.5%
Massachusetts	28.9%	Washington	25.0%
Michigan	28.8%	West Virginia	36.4%
Minnesota	23.9%	Wisconsin	29.4%
Mississippi	36.7%	Wyoming	22.9%
Missouri	31.0%

 

Source: The National Survey of Children's Health. Childhood Obesity Action Network. State Obesity Profiles, 2008. National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality, Child Policy Research Center, and Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative. Retrieved 10/09/09 from http://www.nschdata.org:80/Content/ObesityReportCards.aspx.

2003 Rates of Obese Children

The 2003 map and 50-state chart include only obese children based on 2003 data.

* Obesity is defined as body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention BMI-for-age growth chars.  BMI is calculated as weight in  kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. Children age 10-17 are included in this data.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The National Survey of Children's Health 2003. Rockville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005. Retrieved 12/01/2009 from http://mchb.hrsa.gov/overweight/state.htm.  

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau. The National Survey of Children's Health 2003. Rockville, Maryland: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2005. Retrieved 12/01/2009 from http://mchb.hrsa.gov/overweight/state.htm.                                                                                                                           

Childhood Obesity Facts

• Approximately 13 million U.S. children and adolescents are obese, with a body mass index at or above the 95^th percentile.
• Obesity is a major risk factor for many serious health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers.
• During the past 40 years, obesity rates for children age 6 to 11 nearly tripled—from 5% to 14%—and more than tripled for adolescents age 12 to 19—from 5% to 17.1%.
• Obese adolescents have an 80% chance of becoming obese adults.
• An estimated 61% of obese young people already have at least one additional health risk factor such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
• Childhood obesity health expenses are estimated at $14 billion annually.
• Good nutrition and physical activity can help prevent obesity, but opportunities for healthy choices may be limited. Wealthy communities have three times as many supermarkets as poor areas, increasing their access to fruits, vegetables, and a wider selection of healthy foods.  Poorer areas also often have less access to places to be physically active.
• Almost 30% of U.S. children do not exercise three or more times a week.
• More than 75% of high school students do not eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Sources: Ogden, et al. JAMA, 295 (13): 1549-1555 and JAMA, 288 (14): 1728-1732.
CDC, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 54, no.8: 203. Pediatrics 103, no.6: 1175-1172.
CDC, Preventing Obesity and Chronic Diseases through Good Nutrition and Physical Activity.
Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics America's Children;
Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2007.

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