Overweight in young children attending Stamford Public Schools

Objectives: Describe the distribution of kindergarten students in the City of Stamford who were overweight or obese by gender, ethnicity, and eligibility for free/reduced lunch, and to identify subgroups of students at higher risk of overweight or obesity.

Methods: Information on height, weight, and selected demographics of kindergarteners in Stamford Public Schools was obtained from health assessment records submitted at registration. BMI was calculated and BMI-for-age weight status category was derived using CDC BMI-for-age growth charts. Distribution of weight status category by selected demographic variables was calculated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with higher risk of overweight and/or obesity.

Results: Seventeen percent (17%) of students were obese (BMI ≥ 95th percentile), and 16% were overweight (BMI between 85th and 95th percentile). Forty-one percent (41%) of Hispanic students were either overweight or obese. Hispanic students were 1.5 times more likely to be overweight or obese (p=.0002), and 1.7 times more likely to be obese (p=.0006) compared to non-Hispanic white students. Students eligible for free/reduced lunch were 1.6 times more likely to be obese (p=.02).

Conclusions: Hispanic kindergarteners constitute more than one-third of kindergarten population in Stamford. There is great need to address childhood obesity in this group. Ongoing programs that promote healthy eating and increased physical activities should be tailored to accommodate the unique cultural and social circumstances surrounding Hispanic student population. Courses providing tools and strategies to help students and families adopt and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle should be made available and accessible.