Overweight and obesity among White, Black, and Mexican American children: Implications for when to intervene

Abstract

Purpose. The study sought to determine if race/ethnicity, age, gender, and poverty index influence the development of overweight (OW) or obesity (OB) in children 6-11 years of age and whether a desirable time to intervene could be established. Methods. A descriptive and comparative analysis was conducted using data from the 1999-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Results. Advancing age was the single largest predictor of OW or OB followed by race/ethnicity. Practice Implications. Culturally sensitive interventions targeting children in their early elementary school years could reduce the consequences of OW and OB in childhood. © 2011, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.