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How To... - Interpret Data - Case Studies -
Overweight
Is overweight a problem?
Healthy People 2010 established a target overweight prevalence
of 5 percent for children 6 to 19 years of age. Although the WIC program
serves children younger than 6 years of age, this objective is still used
to determine if overweight is a health problem in this case study since research
has shown that the tracking of obesity from childhood into adulthood
begins as early as 2 years of age.
For children 2 years or older, BMI (Body Mass Index)-for-age is used to
assess overweight. Five percent of children are expected to be above the
95th percentile of BMI-for-age, defined as overweight, due to normal
biologic variation. A prevalence greater than the expected rate of 5
percent indicates that the population has a higher proportion of
individuals with overweight than would be expected in the
general population.
In the U.S. population (NHANES III) the prevalence of overweight for
children 2 to 5 years of age is 10.4%, compared to 13% in the National
PedNSS. Both are above the Healthy People 2010
target of 5% and, therefore, considered to be a public health problem. To
determine if overweight is a health problem within a state PedNSS
population, we will compare the percent of overweight from a state WIC
program to the National PedNSS prevalence, as well as the Healthy People 2010 target for overweight and the
U.S. population.
Prevalence of Overweight Children
The PedNSS Table 2C, Summary of Health Indicators, shows the
contributor's prevalence of overweight for children 2 to 5 years of age
compared to the National PedNSS. These prevalences of overweight can then
be compared to the expected rate and Healthy People 2010 target of
5 percent and the U.S. population prevalences for the same age group.
Sample: PedNSS Table 2C, Summary of Health Indicators
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The prevalence of overweight for children 2 to 5 years
of age in the state WIC Program is similar to the national PedNSS
prevalence, 12.9% and 13.0% respectively. These prevalences of
overweight are higher than the expected rate and the Healthy People
2010 target of 5 percent and the U.S. population prevalence of
10.4% for overweight children 2 to 5 years of age. |
Is overweight a problem?
The prevalence of 12.9% for overweight in the state WIC program is more
than twice the expected rate and the Healthy People 2010 target of 5
percent and greater than the prevalence of overweight of 10.4% for
children 2 to 5 years of age in the U.S. population so it is considered a
health problem.
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