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.

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Posted by Megan Cox

Federal report on America’s children released

July 10, 2009

Federal interagency report shows declines in preterm birth and low birthweight. Children more likely to live in poverty, less likely to have parent employed full time.

These and other statistics have been compiled in America’s Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2009. It is compiled by a number of federal agencies and provides a comprehensive picture of the following key areas of child well-being: family and social environment, economic circumstances, health care, physical environment and safety, behavior, education, and health.

To access the report, please visit www.childstats.gov

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Posted by Megan Cox

Type 1 Diabetes

June 27, 2007

Yesterday the Journal of the American Medical Association published an article entitled Incidence of Diabetes in Youth in the United States. From the JAMA press release:

Non-Hispanic white youth have the highest rate of diabetes of all racial/ethnic groups for children in the U.S., with type 1 being the predominant kind of diabetes among youth, according to a study in the June 27 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on chronic diseases of children.

[…]

For children age 0 to 4 years and 5 to 9 years, most DM was type 1, regardless of race/ethnicity. The incidence of type 1 DM was highest among non-Hispanic white children, and lowest among American Indian and Asian-Pacific Islander children. Similarly, for older youth (10-14 years and 15-19 years), the incidence of type 1 DM was highest among non-Hispanic white children, followed by African American and Hispanic youth.

“…taken together [with other studies], these data suggest that the incidence of type 1 DM may be increasing in the United States, consistent with worldwide trends,” the authors write. “We estimate that the annual number of newly diagnosed youth with type 1 DM in the United States is approximately 15,000.”

Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by billcrews