Overweight schoolchildren in New York State: prevalence and characteristics

OBJECTIVES: Childhood overweight is an increasing public health concern. This study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of overweight in elementary school children in New York State and to identify characteristics associated with child fatness. METHODS: Weight, height, triceps skinfold, midarm circumference, and a 24-hour dietary recall were taken on 1797 second- and fifth-grade students from 51 randomly selected schools in New York State outside of New York City. Parents completed a brief questionnaire. RESULTS: In comparison with 1974 and 1980 national reference data, up to twice the expected percentages of children had values above the 85th, 90th, and 95th percentiles for body mass index, triceps skinfold, and arm fat area. Regression analyses suggested that children who tended to be fatter were members of low socioeconomic status, two-parent (but not single-parent) households; those with few or no siblings; those who ate school lunch; and those who skipped breakfast. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that overweight is a problem among many elementary school children in New York State and that sociodemographic characteristics may be useful for targeting preventive efforts.