New Report on Children and Adolescent Body Measurements

August 4, 2021

NHSR160_Cover1NCHS releases a new report, “Mean Body Weight, Height, Waist Circumference, and Body Mass Index Among Children and Adolescents: United States, 1999–2018” that presents trends in mean weight, recumbent length, height, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI) among children and adolescents in the United States from 1999 through 2018.

Key Findings:

  • No significant trends over time were observed in any of the body measures for children aged 2–5 years, except for an increase in mean BMI among girls.
  • Among girls aged 6–11, mean height and waist circumference significantly increased from 1999–2000 through 2003–2004, and then significantly decreased for height but remained stable for waist circumference through 2017–2018.
  • Among those aged 12–15, mean body weight and waist circumference increased over time among boys, and BMI increased among both boys and girls.
  • Among adolescent boys aged 16–19, body weight significantly increased from 1999–2000 through 2009–2010 and
    then significantly decreased through 2017–2018. In addition, height remained stable through 2009–2010 and then significantly decreased through 2017–2018.
  • Among adolescent girls aged 16–19, mean body weight, waist circumference, and BMI significantly increased from 1999–2000 through 2017–2018.

Leave a Comment » | body mass index, children, height and weight tables, NHANES, teenagers | Permalink
Posted by briantsai

Underweight older adults, children decrease in U.S.

July 15, 2009

Poor nutrition or underlying health conditions can sometimes cause a person to be underweight. Data from the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that an estimated 1.8% of U.S. adults are underweight. Between 1988-1994 and 2003-2006, a statistically significant decrease in the percentage of those underweight was found only among those aged 60 and over. In this age group, the percentage underweight was 2.3% in 1988-1994 and 1.2% in 2003-2006.

For more, visit http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/underweight_adults.htm.

Results from the 2003-2006 NHANES showed that about 3.3% of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years are underweight. Trends from 1971-1974 to 2003-2006 show that there has been an overall significant decrease in underweight children and adolescents, from 5.1% to 3.3%. Underweight significantly decreased from 5.8% to 2.8% among 2-5 year olds and from 5.3% to 2.7% among 6-11 year olds. Among adolescents aged 12-19, underweight decreased, although not significantly, from 4.7% to 3.8% during the same time period.

For more, visit http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hestat/underweight_children.htm.

Leave a Comment » | body mass index, children, height and weight tables, juvenile, National Center for Health Statistics, NHANES, Overweight | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Megan Cox

New Health E-Stat integrates obesity and overweight prevalence data

January 14, 2009

Results from the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), using measured heights and weights, indicate that an estimated 32.7 percent of U.S. adults 20 years and older are overweight, 34.3 percent are obese and 5.9 percent are extremely obese. Additional data as well as figures and tables can be found by visiting the following Web addres: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overweight/overweight_adult.htm

Leave a Comment » | Diet & Nutrition, extreme obesity, Health Characteristics, height and weight tables, morbid obesity, NHANES, Obesity, Overweight | Permalink
Posted by Megan Cox

Mean height and weight of children

August 14, 2007

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey has studied the height and weight of Americans for decades. Tables documenting the increase in both height and weight for children and adolescents aged 2-19 since 1963 can be found here.

1 Comment | children, height and weight tables, National Center for Health Statistics, NHANES, Obesity, Overweight | Permalink
Posted by billcrews