Researchers say obesity rates for children ages 2-5 dropped to 8 pct from prev 14 pct in a decade’s time, a welcome change from what has been called the U.S. obesity epidemic. One-third of adults and 17 pct of youth are obese. “Overall, there have been no significant changes in obesity prevalence in youth or adults between 2003-2004 and 2011-2012. Obesity prevalence remains high and thus it is important to continue surveillance,” write the researchers in a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association.
“There was a significant decrease in obesity among 2- to 5-year-old children (from 13.9% to 8.4%; P = .03) and a significant increase in obesity among women aged 60 years and older (from 31.5% to 38.1%; P = .006)”
There is little consensus on the cause of the decline among young children, says the New York Times. It listed many potential factors including restrictions on sugary drinks, a trend toward lower caloric consumption, changes in the WIC food basket, more breast-feeding by mothers, and the public health campaigns against obesity.