Data and Statistics

Obesity and extreme obesity rates decline among low-income preschool children

(Data from the Journal of the American Medical Association)
[Read study highlights (PDF - 143 KB)

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Obesity and extreme obesity among U.S. low-income, preschool-aged children went down for the first time in recent years, according to CDC’s first national study.¹

From 2003 through 2010, the prevalence of obesity decreased slightly from 15.21% to 14.94%. Similarly, the prevalence of extreme obesity decreased from 2.22% to 2.07%.¹

However, from 1998 through 2003, the prevalence of obesity increased from 13.05% to 15.21%, and the prevalence of extreme obesity increased from 1.75% to 2.22%.¹

Extreme obesity significantly decreased among all racial groups except American Indians/Alaska Natives. The greatest decrease was among 2-year old and Asian/Pacific Islander children.¹

*The data for this study is from the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System (PedNSS), which includes almost 50% of preschool children eligible for federally funded maternal and child health and nutrition programs, primarily the WIC Program. The study population included 27.5 million children aged 2 through 4 years from 30 states and the District of Columbia that consistently reported data to PedNSS from 1998 -2010.

Obesity rates among all children in the United States

(Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey)
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Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese.
Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has almost tripled.
There are significant racial and ethnic disparities in obesity prevalence among U.S. children and adolescents. In 2007—2008, Hispanic boys, aged 2 to 19 years,were significantly more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic white boys, and non-Hispanic black girls were significantly more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic white girls.

Obesity rates among low-income preschool children

(Data from the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System)

1 of 7 low-income, preschool-aged children is obese. [Check out this Fact Sheet to learn more (PDF-1.5Mb)]
County obesity rates are variable within states. Even states with the lowest prevalence of obesity have counties where many low-income children are obese and at risk for chronic disease.

2011 State Prevalence Among Low-Income Children Aged 2 to 4 Years

2011 obesity rates for states, U.S. territories, and Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) that contributed data to the 2011 Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System. No contributors had obesity rates of less than 5%. Obesity rates greater than 5% to 10% include Colorado, Hawaii and Utah. Obesity rates greater than 10% to 15% include Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Obesity rates greater than 15% to 20% include California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, and these U.S. territories and ITOs: the Navajo Nation, and Puerto Rico. Obesity rates greater than 20% include the Cheyenne River Sioux (SD), Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, the Choctaw-MS, the Rosebud Sioux, the Standing Rock Sioux (ND),and the Three Affiliated Tribes (ND)

2009—2011 County Obesity Prevalence Among Low-Income Children
Aged 2 to 4 Years

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Trends in the Prevalence of Extreme Obesity Among US Preschool-Aged Children Living in Low-Income Families, 1998-2010. JAMA. 2012; 308 (24): 2563-2565