Center for Human Nutrition, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Adv Nutr. 2011 Jan;2(1):23-31. doi: 10.3945/an.110.000083. Epub 2011 Jan 10.
This paper describes the disparities in the U.S. childhood obesity epidemic, mainly based on recent nationally representative data. The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased since the late 1970s; the over time shifts (changes) in distributions of various body fatness measures indicate that U.S. children have become fatter and the obese groups gained more body fat, especially more central obesity, as indicated by waist circumference. However, considerable between-group and regional disparities exist in the prevalence, fatness measures, and over time trends. The disparities and trends are complex, which reflects the complexity and dynamics in obesity etiology. Clearly, some population groups are affected more seriously than others. Native American children have the highest prevalence of obesity, whereas Asians have the lowest rate among all ethnic groups. Preschool age children have a lower obesity prevalence than older children. Young people in some states and cities are twice more likely to be overweight or obese than those living in other regions. Low-socioeconomic status is associated with obesity only among some population groups, e.g. white children and adolescents. Vigorous, effective interventions are needed to promote healthy lifestyles among U.S. young people and to reduce disparities in obesity.
本文主要基于最近的全国代表性数据，描述了美国儿童肥胖症的差异。自 20 世纪 70 年代末以来，超重和肥胖的患病率一直在上升；随着时间的推移，各种体脂测量值的分布变化表明，美国儿童变得越来越胖，肥胖人群的体脂增加更多，尤其是腰围所指示的中心性肥胖。然而，在患病率、肥胖程度和随时间推移的趋势方面，存在相当大的群体间和地区间差异。这些差异和趋势很复杂，反映了肥胖病因的复杂性和动态性。显然，一些人群比其他人群受到的影响更严重。美国原住民儿童的肥胖症患病率最高，而所有族裔群体中，亚裔的肥胖率最低。学龄前儿童的肥胖症患病率低于年龄较大的儿童。在某些州和城市，年轻人超重或肥胖的可能性是其他地区的两倍。只有在一些人群中，如白人和青少年，社会经济地位低才与肥胖有关。需要采取有力、有效的干预措施，促进美国年轻人的健康生活方式，并减少肥胖方面的差异。
