Demographic Risk Factors for Obesity in WIC Participant Children Aged 2 to 4 Years Old

Abstract

Obesity continues to be a major public health issue impacting young children who may move on to develop debilitating diseases and chronic conditions in adulthood. A great deal of research has been done to find risk factors that can be intervened upon to reduce the prevalence of obesity in young children from birth to the age of 5 or 6 which include demographic and socioeconomic variables. Multiple intervention studies also point to prenatal, and early childhood time periods as an effective place to aim obesity prevention in. This statistical analysis aimed to determine risk levels for obesity in WIC participant children aged 2 to 4 based on demographic and age factors. This study utilized aggregated obesity prevalence data from US. states and territories to explore these relationships. The results suggest that the transition period between age 2 to 3 may also serve as an appropriate target period for obesity interventions and prevention initiatives. Results also indicated that Hispanic and native American children may be more at risk of developing obesity, thus, this analysis also implies the need to develop and target culturally cognizant interventions and prevention efforts to an increasingly diversifying age group. Read Full Paper