Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #197316
Title: PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT AMONG ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MISSISSIPPI COMPARED WITH PREVALENCE DATA FROM THE YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM

Author
item MOLAISON, ELAINE - UNIV OF SO MISSISSIPPI
item KOLBO, JEROME - UNIV OF SO MISSISSIPPI
item MEYER, MARY - UNIV OF SO MISSISSIPPI
item SPEED, NANCY - UNIV OF SO MISSISSIPPI
item PENMAN, ALAN - UNIV OF MISS MED CENTER
item ZHANG, LEI - MISS DEPT OF HEALTH

Submitted to: Preventing Chronic Disease
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2006
Publication Date: 7/1/2006
Citation: Molaison, E.F., Kolbo, J.R., Meyer, M.K., Speed, N.M., Penman, A.D., Zhang, L. 2006. Prevalence of overweight among elementary and middle school students in Mississippi compared with prevalence data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Journal of Preventing Chronic Disease. Center for Disease control and Prevention. [online] 3(3). Available: http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2006/jul/05_0150.htm.

Interpretive Summary: The rising rates of overweight among children are alarming because of the health risks associated with excess weight in childhood and later in life. In order to adequately address this serious problem through prevention and intervention efforts, it’s important to have accurate and precise estimates of overweight rates among different age groups of children. Currently most state level data on rates of overweight in school age children are calculated from heights and weights that are self-reported by the children, which tends to underestimate the problem, rather than using measured heights and weights. This research evaluated overweight in Mississippi children using measured heights and weights, and compared it to rates estimated from self-reported data. Overweight rates in Mississippi school children were determined from measurements of 1658 students in grades 1 through 8 from 37 randomly chosen schools. The overall rate of overweight was 24%, and another 15% of children were at risk of overweight. The rate of overweight increased steadily from grade 1 through grade 5, was lower in grade 6, but increased again through grade 8. For children in grades 6-8, 25% were overweight, compared to 18% when weights and heights were self-reported. With almost 4 out of 10 Mississippi elementary school children overweight or at risk of overweight, prevention efforts may need to begin earlier than the age of school entry and be of a comprehensive nature in order to reverse this alarming trend.

Technical Abstract: The purpose of the Child and Youth Prevalence of Overweight Survey was to estimate the prevalence of overweight and at risk for becoming overweight among children in Mississippi (grades 1-8) using height and weight measures instead of self-report and to compare the findings for grades 6 through 8 with data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System for middle school students (grades 6-8). Students in randomly selected classes from 37 sampled elementary and middle schools throughout Mississippi participated in the study. School staff was trained to collect height and weight data using a standardized procedure. Overall, 24.0% of students in grades 1 through 8 were found to be overweight, and another 14.7% were at risk for becoming overweight. With the exception of sixth grade, there was a trend of increasing prevalence of overweight by grade (17.5% in grade 1 compared with 31.3% in grade 8). In the Child and Youth Prevalence of Overweight Survey, 25.2% of students in grades 6 through 8 were found to be overweight, compared with 18.5% in the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance system. A high percentage of students in Mississippi are already overweight in first grade, and the prevalence tends to increase by grade. Data collected from middle school students through measured heights and weights in the Child and Youth Prevalence of Over weight survey were higher than self-reported data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System Our data suggest that self-reported data underestimate the prevalence of overweight among middle school students. Efforts to monitor students’ body mass index and assess effectiveness of interventions should include all grades and use measured heights and weights rather than self-reports.