The news is mixed when it comes to obesity rates in the United States. The good news is that the obesity rates in preschool-age children appears to be dropping. The latest data shows a decline in preschool obesity, from 14% to 8% since 2003. However, at the same time, obesity rates in women over 60 seems to be going in the opposite direction. The overall obesity rate hasn’t changed in the last ten years.
By analyzing data from the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), researchers determined that there has been a significant drop in obesity rates in two- to four-year-old children, particularly those from low income families who participate in federal nutrition programs. The news is encouraging because it means that there is hope for affording even more widespread and long-term changes.
One piece of information the new data does not provide is the precise reasons for the changes. However, in recent years, there has been an increasing initiative at both local and regional levels to provide enhanced opportunities for increased physical activity and improved nutrition in child care centers and schools, probably playing a role in the positive changes that are occurring. For example, consumption of sodas and other sugary drinks has declined, which is most likely one major factor.
The CDC also reported last year that only one in five adults gets enough exercise, something that could certainly contribute to the rising obesity rates in older women. Healthy adults over 65 should strive for the equivalent of 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week plus strength exercises twice a week. Children need much more; those under 18 should be getting around an hour a day of aerobic exercise, plus muscle and bone strengthening activities.
However, it’s important to recognize that adding more exercise into your daily routine alone will most likely not be enough to achieve significant weight loss. If you have extra weight to lose, and you are ready to get started, realize that while exercise plays an important role, nutrition plays a much more important one. This is partly because many people overestimate the number of calories they burn exercising, or they are hungrier after they exercise and eat more to compensate.
Sometimes creating small changes in your diet may be all you need; others will need to make more dramatic changes. Either way, making the changes gradually will probably help you develop more lasting habits and ultimately see better results. Focus on natural, healthy foods, and try some helpful tricks such as eating more slowly, planning meals ahead of time, and getting more sleep, if you don’t tend to get enough. Lots of helpful information can be found here.
The bottom line is that the unchanging overall obesity rate means that there is an ongoing need for education and initiative. However, the decline in preschool obesity is an encouraging sign that the scales may be starting to tip in the right direction.
– Yvonne S. Thornton, M. D., M. P. H.