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Study Finds One in Five Preschoolers Obese, Ethnic Minorities Disproportionately Affected
A study in the April Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine finds that nearly one in five American preschoolers is obese, and that the obesity rate among children from some ethnic minority populations is alarmingly higher, the Associated Press reports. To determine obesity prevalence among preschoolers, researchers at The Ohio State University College of Public Health and Temple University analyzed nationally representative height and weight data compiled in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort for over 8,500 4-year-old children. Based on the data, the researchers determined that 18.4 percent of American preschoolers are obese. The study found that Asian-American children have the lowest obesity rates at just 12.8 percent, followed by 15.9 percent of Caucasian children, 20.8 percent of African-American children, 22 percent of Hispanic children, and 31.2 percent of American Indian and Native Alaskan children. Although the study did not specifically address reasons for the disparities, the researchers speculate that genetic differences among American Indian and Hispanic children, in addition to socioeconomic and educational disparities among minority groups, could be a factor. Based on the findings, the researchers conclude that childhood obesity prevention initiatives must begin at a young age and must be tailored to address the unique needs of racial and ethnic minorities (Tanner, AP/Yahoo! News, 4/7/09; The Ohio State University release, 4/6/09; Anderson et al., Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, April 2009 [subscription required]).