Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
Published in 2005: Edmunds LS, Woelfel ML, Dennison BA, Stratton HL, Pruzek R, Abujabha R. Overweight trends among children enrolled in the New York State Special Supplemental Nutrition Programs for Women, Infants, and Children. J Am Diet Assoc 2005; 106:113-117. This study describes overweight trends in a large, multiethnic, low-income population of preschool children by race/ethnicity and examine cohort changes in body mass index (BMI) distribution. Overweight prevalence increased 33% (12% to 16%). Prevalence was highest for Hispanics and lowest for non-Hispanic whites. Rates of increase (0.28 percentage points per year) were the same for Hispanic, non-Hispanic black, and non-Hispanic white children. The BMI distribution shifted toward higher values for all children studied; for 3- and 4-year-old children, the difference increased as BMI increased,indicating that, in 2003, the heaviest children were considerably heavier than the heaviest children were in 1989.
Accepted for Publication: Dennison BA, Edmunds LS, Stratton H, Pruzek R. Rapid infant weight gain predicts childhood overweight: Obesity Res 2006 (in press). Conference abstract: Dennison BA, Faith MS, Edmunds LS, Stratton HH. Fruit juice intake predicts increased adiposity among low-income children. 2005 North American Association for the Study of Obesity Annual Meeting, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, October 15-19, 2005. Obesity Res 2005.
Impacts
The findings of the published study imply a multifaceted approach to obesity prevention. First, the study showed that for whites, blacks, and Hispanics and for boys and girls, the prevalence of childhood overweight increased slowly and steadily over a 15-year period, and, in each of these 15 years, the prevalence of overweight was highest for Hispanics compared with whites and blacks. Second, the rate of increase in overweight was similar for each of the three race/ethnic groups. Third, children arriving at WIC sites in 2003 were heavier than their 1989 counterparts, and, although BMI increased on average for all children, the greatest increase in weight was among the heaviest children. a WIC nutrition professionals should be encouraged to provide individualized, culturally sensitive counseling for prevention of overweight and to seek collaboration with the medical community as necessary. Counseling should include educating parents/caretakers on the importance of
eating fruits and vegetables and engaging in physical activities (for themselves and for their children) and the long-term risks of childhood overweight. a Encourage WIC nutrition professionals to examine theories and practices of behavioral change for adoption into WIC clinics to address the rising prevalence of overweight.
Publications
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