Indicator Profile of Obesity Among Children and Adolescents
Why Is This Important?
The number of overweight or obese children and adolescents is increasing annually and diseases previously thought to be diseases of adults, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, are now being diagnosed in children and adolescents.Percentage of Adolescents Who Were Obese by Grade and Gender, Grades 9-12, Utah, 2009
Data Notes
YRBS BMI data should be used with caution since individual height and weight are self-reported. Utah law also requires students surveyed to have active parental consent, which has been shown to result in lower rates of unhealthy behaviors than passive consent. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey is performed in odd-numbered years.Data Sources
Utah Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, Utah Department of Health;Other Views
- Grades 9-12, Utah and U.S., 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009
- by Grade and Sex, 1st, 3rd, and 5th Grades, Utah, 2008
Definition
Body mass index (BMI) is widely used to determine obesity and overweight because it is inexpensive, reproducible, and convenient. BMI is calculated using the individual's height and weight.(1)For indivduals aged 2 to 20, overweight and obesity is determined by calculating the individual's BMI and comparing it to age and sex standardized growth charts distributed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children and adolescents are considered obese if their BMI is greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for BMI by age and sex based on the 2000 CDC Growth Charts.(2)
How We Calculated the Rates
| Numerator: | Number of individuals surveyed or measured who are obese (BMI greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for BMI by age and sex based on CDC Growth Charts).(2) |
| Denominator: | Total number of people surveyed or measured. |
Page Content Updated On 10/27/09,
Published on 10/27/09
