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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Oct 8.
Published in final edited form as: JAMA. 2012 Dec 26;308(24):2563–2565. doi: 10.1001/jama.2012.108099

Table 1.

Distribution of the Study Population and Prevalence of Obesity and Extreme Obesity Among US Children Aged 2 Through 4 Years Living in Low-Income Families, 1998–2010

Year Overall,
No.
Age,
Mean,
mo
Race/Ethnicity, %a
BMI,
Mean (SD)b
Prevalence, % (95% CI)
Non-Hispanic
White
Non-Hispanic
Black
Hispanic American
Indian/
Alaska
Native
Asian/
Pacific
Islander
Obesityb,c Extreme
Obesityb,d
1998 1 945 115 40.9 43.7 23.5 28.6 0.8 3.4 16.52 (1.88) 13.05 (13.00–13.09) 1.75 (1.73–1.77)

1999 1 887 622 40.8 42.5 23.9 29.6 0.7 3.2 16.56 (1.90) 13.58 (13.53–13.63) 1.85 (1.83–1.87)

2000 1 869 593 40.6 42.6 22.7 30.5 0.8 3.4 16.62 (1.93) 14.37 (14.32–14.42) 2.02 (2.00–2.04)

2001 1 823 377 40.5 43.0 22.7 30.2 0.7 3.4 16.61 (1.93) 14.32 (14.26–14.37) 2.03 (2.01–2.05)

2002 1 887 032 40.5 42.9 22.4 30.7 0.7 3.4 16.65 (1.96) 14.89 (14.84–14.94) 2.15 (2.13–2.17)

2003e 1 958 480 40.4 42.3 21.5 31.6 0.8 3.8 16.68 (1.97) 15.21 (15.16–15.26) 2.22 (2.20–2.24)

2004f 2 014 085 40.5 42.4 21.7 31.5 0.8 3.6 16.70 (1.96) 15.36 (15.31–15.41) 2.22 (2.20–2.24)

2005 2 078 203 40.5 40.8 21.1 33.9 0.7 3.4 16.69 (1.95) 15.13 (15.09–15.18) 2.16 (2.14–2.18)

2006 2 042 050 40.4 38.9 20.5 36.5 0.8 3.3 16.70 (1.94) 15.17 (15.12–15.22) 2.15 (2.13–2.17)

2007 2 095 442 40.4 38.9 20.5 36.4 0.8 3.3 16.70 (1.94) 15.23 (15.18–15.28) 2.14 (2.12–2.16)

2008 2 249 621 40.4 38.9 20.6 36.5 0.8 3.2 16.71 (1.92) 15.24 (15.19–15.29) 2.10 (2.08–2.12)

2009 2 453 464 40.3 38.5 20.0 37.6 0.7 3.1 16.71 (1.92) 15.12 (15.07–15.16) 2.09 (2.07–2.11)

2010 2 404 433 40.5 38.9 20.5 36.7 0.7 3.2 16.68 (1.92) 14.94 (14.89–14.98) 2.07 (2.05–2.09)

Abbreviation: BMI, body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared).

a

Reported by parent or caregiver. The percentages describe the distribution of the study population.

b

Excluded missing, miscoded, or biologically implausible height, weight, and BMI. Because the distribution of weight, height, and BMI in the study population was skewed, we expanded the upper cutoff points for biological implausible z scores recommended by the World Health Organization to the following: height for age, −5.0 or less or greater than 5.0; weight for age, −5.0 or less or greater than 8.0; and BMI for age, −4.0 or less or greater than 8.0.

c

Defined as having a BMI for age and sex in the 95th percentile or greater according to 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts.

d

Defined as having a BMI for age and sex in the 120% or greater of the 95th percentile according to 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts.

e

Results of Joinpoint regression showed that the upward trends in the prevalence of obesity and extreme obesity ended in 2003.

f

Results of Joinpoint regression showed that the upward trend in mean BMI ended in 2004.