The pediatric obesity epidemic continues unabated in Bogalusa, Louisiana.

Abstract

To examine 35-year trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents from Bogalusa, Louisiana. Height and weight were measured for 11653 children and adolescents between 5 and 17 years of age in 8 cross-sectional surveys. The Bogalusa Heart Study contributed data from 1973-1994, and routine school screening provided 2008-2009 data. Trends in mean BMI, mean gender-specific BMI-for-age z scores, prevalence of overweight/obesity (BMI > or = 85th percentile), and prevalence of obesity (BMI > or = 95th percentile) according to age, race, and gender were examined. Since 1973-1974, the proportion of children and adolescents aged 5 to 17 years who are overweight (overweight plus obese) has more than tripled, from 14.2% to 48.4% in 2008-2009. Similarly, the proportion of obese children and adolescents has increased more than fivefold from 5.6% in 1973-1974 to 30.8% in 2008-2009. The prevalence of overweight or obesity, and secular changes, were similar among black and white boys and girls. In semirural Bogalusa, the childhood obesity epidemic has not plateaued, and nearly half of the children are now overweight or obese.