TY - JOUR
T1 - Childhood obesity in New York City elementary school students
AU - Thorpe, Lorna E.
AU - List, Deborah G.
AU - Marx, Terry
AU - May, Linda
AU - Helgerson, Steven D.
AU - Frieden, Thomas R.
PY - 2004/9
Y1 - 2004/9
N2 - Objectives. We estimated overweight and obesity in New York City elementary school children. Methods. A multistage cluster sample of New York City public elementary school children was selected. Nurses measured children's height and weight and used a standard protocol to determine body mass index (BMI). Demographic information was obtained from official school rosters. Overweight and obese were defined as BMI-for-age at or above the 85th and 95th percentiles, respectively. Results. Of 3069 sampled students, 2681 (87%) were measured. The prevalence of overweight was 43% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 39%, 47%), more than half of whom were obese. Overall prevalence of obesity was 24% (95% CI = 21%, 27%), with at least 20% obesity in each grade, including kindergarten. Hispanic children had significantly higher levels (31%; 95% CI = 29%, 34%) than Black (23%; 95% CI = 18%, 28%) or White children (16%; 95% CI = 12%, 20%). Asian children had the lowest level of obesity among all racial/ethnic groups (14.4%, 95% CI = 10.9, 18.7). Conclusions. Obesity among public elementary school children in New York City is an important public health issue. Particularly high levels among Hispanic and Black children mirror national trends and are insufficiently understood.
AB - Objectives. We estimated overweight and obesity in New York City elementary school children. Methods. A multistage cluster sample of New York City public elementary school children was selected. Nurses measured children's height and weight and used a standard protocol to determine body mass index (BMI). Demographic information was obtained from official school rosters. Overweight and obese were defined as BMI-for-age at or above the 85th and 95th percentiles, respectively. Results. Of 3069 sampled students, 2681 (87%) were measured. The prevalence of overweight was 43% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 39%, 47%), more than half of whom were obese. Overall prevalence of obesity was 24% (95% CI = 21%, 27%), with at least 20% obesity in each grade, including kindergarten. Hispanic children had significantly higher levels (31%; 95% CI = 29%, 34%) than Black (23%; 95% CI = 18%, 28%) or White children (16%; 95% CI = 12%, 20%). Asian children had the lowest level of obesity among all racial/ethnic groups (14.4%, 95% CI = 10.9, 18.7). Conclusions. Obesity among public elementary school children in New York City is an important public health issue. Particularly high levels among Hispanic and Black children mirror national trends and are insufficiently understood.
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U2 - 10.2105/AJPH.94.9.1496
DO - 10.2105/AJPH.94.9.1496
M3 - Article
C2 - 15333301
AN - SCOPUS:4344659070
SN - 0090-0036
VL - 94
SP - 1496
EP - 1500
JO - American journal of public health
JF - American journal of public health
IS - 9
ER -