The Prevalence of Childhood Obesity on a Local Level: How Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Is Weighing in with the Nation

Jacob C Rowland, Purdue University

Abstract

The increasing rate of obesity among children and adolescents has become a major public health concern. The rising rate of childhood obesity is particularly troubling because several studies have suggested obese children are more likely to be obese adults than non-obese children. Although a recognized problem, many school districts are now beginning to characterize obesity among school age children. Such characterization is of particular interest because knowing the extent of obesity among school age children may allow for appropriate planning by public officials. Various studies have demonstrated that childhood is related to factors such as a gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Although such work has been conducted in the Tippecanoe and West Lafayette Corporations, little is known about the covariation between the known community and school level risk factors of obesity and the observed obesity rates in these two school corporations in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. As such, this study utilized existing data of children in grades kindergarten through twelfth enrolled in one of the 36 public or private schools located in Tippecanoe County, Indiana to determine the relationship between school level and community variables known to be related to childhood obesity. Body mass index for age specific percentiles based on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention definition was used to calculate the weight status of the children and adolescents. Results from analysis of covariance suggest that no single factor, among those studied, was related to childhood obesity in the 36 schools examined. However, the results do suggest that schools with high levels of racial/ethnic minorities and low income students were more likely to have higher proportions of obese students than schools with higher proportions of White and higher income students. Only by trying to understand what factors affect the prevalence of childhood obesity within the schools, can it be expected that a solution will be found.

Degree

M.P.H.

Advisors

Hunte, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Public health|Epidemiology

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