Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #108368

Tam Lutz, MPH, MHA¹, Njeri Karanja, PhD, RD², Mikel Aickin, PhD³, Cheryl Ritenbaugh, PhD, MPH³, Gerardo Maupome, PhD⁴, and Julia Putman, BS¹. (1) Northwest Tribal Epidemiology Center, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, 527 SW Hall, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97201, 503-228-4185, tlutz@npaihb.org, (2) Center for Health Research, Kaiser Permanente, 3800 North Interstate, Portland, OR 97227, (3) Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Arizona, 1450 Cherry Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719, (4) Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, 3800 North Interstate Avenue, Portland, OR 97227

Background: Currently AI/AN youth experience the highest prevalence of childhood obesity of any U.S. population. Obesity is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes, which is being diagnosed at increasingly younger ages among AI/ANs. Few studies have been conducted to assess the burden of overweight in very young AI/AN children.

Methods: Baseline data were collected for a longitudinal intervention study to decrease toddler overweight among northwest tribal communities. Using WIC and other community resources, we attempted to contact every child between 18 and 30 months of age, and measured 151 children. Recumbent length, weight, and dental measures were made according to study protocol; gender and birth date were recorded from parental records.

Results: The baseline mean (s.d.) weight-for-age percentile was 68.4 (32.2)%ile; the between-community range was 79.4%ile to 61.0%ile. The mean (s.d.) length-for-age percentile was 51.8 (32.0)%ile; the between-community range was 62.1%ile to 36.7%ile. The mean weight-for-length percentile was 78.3 (27.7)%ile; the between-community range was 84.5%ile to 69.6%ile. Overall, 59.6% of children were above the 85%ile of weight-for-length; 39.7% were above the 95%ile. Comparison with all US populations demonstrates the much higher level of risk among AI/AN toddlers, a risk that continues throughout childhood.

Public Health Implications: These baseline data help to demonstrate the early onset of overweight in northwest tribal communities and demonstrate the need for early childhood interventions; the community interventions studied here may provide guidance for reducing the burden of overweight.

Learning Objectives:

• List three chronic diseases in which obesity is a risk factor.
• Describe the burden of overweight seen among northwest AI/AN toddlers compared to the general population.
• Articulate the need for early interventions to prevent obesity in AI/AN communities.

Keywords: Obesity, MCH Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation