Good News! Childhood Obesity Is Declining in the U.S
For decades, the rate of obesity among American children has been on the rise. But a new report out from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the problem may be declining.
From 2008-2011, rates of obesity among low-income children decreased in 19 of the 43 states and territories the CDC examined, and only increased in three of them. Here's a look at how those states line up:
As the CDC writes, the downward tick doesn't mean the obesity problem is solved. One in eight preschoolers is still obese. Those numbers go up for minority students: One in five black children and one in six Hispanic children are obese.
In a statement about the report, Michelle Obama said:
Today's announcement reaffirms my belief that together, we are making a real difference in helping kids across the country get a healthier start to life.
Although the First Lady, who has focused much of her energy on health-issues, made clear "there is tremendous work still to be done."
The CDC report did not cite a reason for the reduction. The data was compiled through height and weight measurements of 11.6 million low-income children ages 2-4 who participated in the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System.
