Table 1. Sociodemographic Characteristics of US Youth Aged 2 to 19 Years by NHANES Survey Cycles From 1999 to 2016.
| Characteristics | No. of participants (survey-weighted %)a | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000 (n = 3833) | 2001-2002 (n = 4288) | 2003-2004 (n = 3825) | 2005-2006 (n = 4029) | 2007-2008 (n = 3109) | 2009-2010 (n = 3280) | 2011-2012 (n = 3134) | 2013-2014 (n = 3021) | 2015-2016 (n = 2901) | |
| Age group, y | |||||||||
| 2-5 | 665 (21.9) | 856 (21.4) | 763 (21.3) | 902 (21.6) | 832 (22.2) | 861 (22.2) | 836 (22.0) | 678 (20.4) | 666 (21.5) |
| 6-11 | 961 (34.3) | 1136 (33.8) | 900 (33.0) | 1012 (32.3) | 1121 (32.3) | 1154 (32.9) | 1146 (32.8) | 1047 (33.7) | 1040 (33.5) |
| 12-19 | 2207 (43.8) | 2296 (44.8) | 2162 (45.7) | 2115 (46.0) | 1156 (45.5) | 1265 (44.9) | 1152 (45.2) | 1296 (45.9) | 1195 (45.0) |
| Sex | |||||||||
| Female | 1893 (48.8) | 2158 (49.9) | 1923 (48.4) | 2046 (49.0) | 1497 (49.7) | 1568 (49.7) | 1548 (48.8) | 1501 (48.6) | 1438 (49.4) |
| Male | 1940 (51.2) | 2130 (50.0) | 1902 (51.6) | 1983 (51.0) | 1612 (50.3) | 1712 (50.3) | 1586 (51.2) | 1520 (51.4) | 1463 (50.6) |
| Race/ethnicity | |||||||||
| Non-Hispanic white | 839 (59.6) | 1325 (61.1) | 1067 (62.9) | 1075 (60.5) | 991 (59.6) | 1101 (57.3) | 690 (53.2) | 812 (52.7) | 831 (50.6) |
| Non-Hispanic black | 1052 (14.2) | 1312 (14.4) | 1322 (15.0) | 1251 (14.9) | 788 (14.8) | 654 (13.8) | 936 (15.2) | 753 (14.0) | 655 (14.6) |
| Mexican American | 1588 (11.0) | 1263 (12.1) | 1139 (12.5) | 1338 (13.3) | 778 (13.2) | 914 (14.3) | 601 (14.8) | 692 (16.0) | 630 (16.3) |
| Other Hispanic | 198 (7.5) | 203 (6.4) | 126 (3.8) | 134 (3.7) | 398 (6.9) | 374 (7.1) | 364 (8.0) | 305 (7.4) | 359 (8.6) |
| Other/mixed | 156 (7.7) | 185 (6.1) | 171 (5.8) | 231 (7.7) | 154 (5.5) | 237 (7.5) | 543 (8.8) | 459 (9.8) | 426 (9.9) |
| Parental education | |||||||||
| Total No. | 3637 | 4134 | 3673 | 3854 | 2997 | 3184 | 3023 | 2950 | 2786 |
| Less than high school diploma | 1555 (25.0) | 1498 (23.2) | 1224 (19.7) | 1212 (17.7) | 923 (19.5) | 966 (20.0) | 848 (23.4) | 704 (16.5) | 679 (18.3) |
| High school graduate or GED | 880 (25.2) | 982 (23.9) | 958 (25.7) | 917 (24.3) | 753 (24.4) | 738 (20.1) | 674 (19.2) | 701 (23.5) | 581 (18.5) |
| Some college | 758 (24.9) | 947 (22.9) | 1043 (33.3) | 1096 (32.9) | 834 (28.1) | 885 (29.7) | 824 (29.0) | 901 (30.5) | 907 (32.3) |
| College degree or higher | 444 (20.2) | 707 (26.5) | 448 (17.2) | 629 (21.3) | 487 (23.0) | 595 (27.2) | 677 (25.4) | 644 (26.8) | 619 (27.1) |
| Ratio of family income to poverty levelb | |||||||||
| Total No. | 3297 | 4037 | 3655 | 3851 | 2878 | 3000 | 2909 | 2826 | 2669 |
| <1.30 | 1566 (37.9) | 1697 (32.8) | 1678 (34.9) | 1580 (28.0) | 1296 (33.3) | 1422 (33.9) | 1383 (38.7) | 1372 (37.4) | 1074 (31.0) |
| 1.30 to <1.85 | 473 (12.4) | 543 (11.9) | 498 (10.9) | 484 (10.3) | 358 (10.8) | 406 (12.1) | 402 (12.0) | 336 (10.6) | 408 (12.9) |
| 1.85 to <3.00 | 537 (17.5) | 699 (18.9) | 633 (19.6) | 695 (21.9) | 524 (17.7) | 441 (16.5) | 415 (17.4) | 414 (17.4) | 529 (20.7) |
| ≥3.00 | 721 (32.1) | 1098 (36.4) | 846 (34.6) | 1092 (39.8) | 700 (38.1) | 731 (37.4) | 709 (31.8) | 704 (34.6) | 658 (35.4) |
| Food security statusc | |||||||||
| Total No. | 3758 | 4046 | 3659 | 3979 | 3091 | 3250 | 3124 | 2999 | NA |
| Very low food security | 255 (4.6) | 314 (6.2) | 341 (6.8) | 293 (5.2) | 254 (6.3) | 290 (6.9) | 254 (7.7) | 265 (6.6) | NA |
| Low food security | 614 (12.0) | 649 (11.0) | 598 (11.2) | 653 (10.1) | 525 (12.4) | 593 (12.6) | 596 (14.8) | 529 (14.8) | NA |
| Marginal food security | 393 (7.5) | 421 (7.8) | 393 (7.8) | 462 (8.8) | 396 (9.2) | 506 (11.3) | 526 (13.2) | 435 (11.9) | NA |
| Food secure | 2496 (74.0) | 2662 (69.1) | 2327 (70.0) | 2571 (75.0) | 1916 (71.5) | 1861 (67.6) | 1748 (63.8) | 1770 (65.7) | NA |
| Federal nutrition program participationd | |||||||||
| SNAP | 768 (16.7) | 805 (14.6) | 976 (17.7) | 932 (16.2) | 911 (21.8) | 1121 (23.8) | 1229 (31.0) | 1076 (27.6) | NA |
| WIC | 839 (16.2) | 793 (14.3) | 789 (13.6) | 818 (13.5) | 654 (13.6) | 825 (15.4) | 705 (17.7) | 636 (15.2) | NA |
| NSLP/SBP | 1591 (30.5) | 1536 (27.4) | 1442 (27.2) | 1445 (25.7) | 1312 (28.6) | 1428 (31.9) | 1352 (34.0) | 1359 (34.7) | 1404 (39.2) |
Abbreviations: GED, general equivalency diploma; NA, data not available; NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; NSLP/SPB, reduced-price/free National School Lunch Program/School Breakfast Program; SNAP, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; WIC, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
Percentages are adjusted for NHANES survey weights.
Ratio of family income to poverty is adjusted for household size; higher numbers indicate higher income.
Data were collected in the food security module by a food security scale questionnaire at the household level during the past 12 months.
These programs are funded by the federal government and administered by states. For SNAP eligibility, a household must meet 3 criteria: (1) household gross monthly income (generally ≤130% of poverty level); (2) household net income after deductions; and (3) household asset limits (generally $2250, or $3500 if household includes ≥1 elderly or disabled member). Women are eligible for the WIC if pregnant or having a child up to age 5 years and having a household income ≤180% of poverty level. For the NSLP/SBP, children from households with incomes ≤130% of poverty level are eligible for free meals and children from households with incomes between 130% and 185% of poverty level are eligible for reduced-price meals.