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Obesity in Toddlers on the Rise

Medically reviewed by Judith Stewart, BPharm. Last updated on Dec 18, 2023.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Dec. 18, 2023 -- Although severe obesity prevalence in toddlers declined from 2010 to 2016, more recent increases have been observed, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in Pediatrics.

Lixia Zhao, Ph.D., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues examined the prevalence and trends in severe obesity among 16.6 million children (aged 2 to 4 years) enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) from 2010 to 2020.

The researchers found that the prevalence of severe obesity significantly decreased from 2.1 percent in 2010 to 1.8 percent in 2016 and then increased to 2.0 percent in 2020. The significant prevalence decrease from 2010 to 2016 was seen among all sociodemographic subgroups, except for American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) children. Four-year-olds, Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic children, and children from higher-income households had the largest decreases. Significant prevalence increases from 2016 to 2020 were seen overall and among sociodemographic subgroups, except for AI/AN and non-Hispanic White children, with the largest increases seen in 4-year-olds and Hispanic children.

"Although severe obesity prevalence in toddlers declined from 2010 to 2016, recent trends are upward," the authors write. "Early identification and access to evidence-based family healthy weight programs for at-risk children can support families and child health."

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

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Posted December 2023

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