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Trends in Obesity Prevalence Among Children & Adolescents

JAMA; 2016 Jun 7; Ogden, Carroll, et al

Publish date:: June 21, 2016

The prevalence of obesity among US children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years in 2011 to 2014 was 17.0%, with extreme obesity at 5.8%. Between 1988-1994 and 2013-2014, the prevalence of obesity increased until 2003-2004, and then decreased in children aged 2 to 5 years, increased until 2007-2008, and then leveled off in children aged 6 to 11 years and increased among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. This according to a study of 40,780 children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years with measured weight and height in the 1988-1994 through 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Researchers found:

• Among children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years, the prevalence of obesity in 2011-2014 was 17.0% and extreme obesity was 5.8%.

• Among children aged 2 to 5 years, obesity increased from 7.2% in 1988-1994 to 13.9% in 2003-2004 and then decreased to 9.4% in 2013-2014.

• Among children aged 6 to 11 years, obesity increased from 11.3% in 1988-1994 to 19.6% in 2007-2008, and then did not change.

• Obesity increased among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years between 1988-1994 as did extreme obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years in 1988-1994 to 4.3% and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years in 1988-1994 to 9.1% in 2013-2014.

Citation: Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Lawman HG, et al. Trends in obesity prevalence among children and adolescents in the United States, 1988-1994 through 2013-2014. JAMA. 2016;315(21):2292-2299. doi:10.1001/jama.2016.6361.

Commentary: The increase in obesity among adolescents is perhaps the greatest threat to health that we currently face. The long-term results of this increase in obesity may not be seen for years, but it will occur and will be manifest by accelerated increases in the rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, liver disease, and disability. Many causes have been hypothesized including increased consumption of sugar sweetened beverages and decreased activity. It is clear that we need to learn more about dietary choices, not all of which are intuitive. For instance, not all calorie intake appears to lead to the same effect on weight. Low-fat diets, once thought to be clearly the healthiest diet, appear to lead to energy expenditures that predict weight gain when compared to low-carb diets.¹ It needs to be a priority to address healthy diet and increased activity for the primary prevention of obesity and as clinicians we need to do our part to carry out this priority during our visits with children, adolescents and their parents. —Neil Skolnik, MD

1. Ebbeling CB. Effects of dietary composition on energy expenditure during weight-loss maintenance. JAMA. 2012;307(24):2627-2634. doi:10.1001/jama.2012.6607.

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