Overweight and Obese Risk Factors Among South Carolina Children

BACKGROUND:  In the United States, childhood obesity has more than doubled among younger children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. This rapid increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity is also occurring in South Carolina. The 2012 South Carolina (SC) Children’s Health Assessment Survey (CHAS) was used to assess SC children’s overweight and obesity risk factors. The CHAS is an annual, state-wide, surveillance system that captures the health status and behaviors of children aged 0-17 through their parents’ lenses. It was introduced in 2012, as a follow-up survey to the SC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), to fill many surveillance gaps of children’s health in SC. The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence of overweight and obesity among various demographic populations of SC Children, and to examine the relationship between overweight/obesity and other indicators in SC children.

METHODS:  Bivariate analyses were used to assess individual relationships between various risk factors and overweight/obesity among SC children. Then, multiple logistic regression modeling approaches were used to analyze risk factors associated with overweight and obesity among children in SC. 

RESULTS:  In 2012, over one third (35.1%) of all children, in SC, aged 2 to 17, were overweight or obese. Black children were more at risk of being overweight or obese than white children (Adjusted-OR= 1.6 *). Parents who reported an income of greater than $50,000 annually (Adj-OR= 0.5*) were at a lower risk of having overweight or obese children. Those who participated in 5 or more days of 60+ minutes of physical activity weekly (Adj-OR= 0.7*) were less likely to be overweight or obese. Children who consumed 3 or more servings of sweetened beverages daily (Adj-OR=1.5*) were at an increased risk of being overweight or obese. 

CONCLUSIONS:  This is the first time that SC is able to report overweight and obesity data for all children aged 2-17 from one source. The availability of such a large amount of health information, covering children of all ages in South Carolina, will be instrumental in the promotion of new programs and policy geared toward improving children’s health, and in the prevention of the statewide child obesity epidemic. This study highlights the protective and risk factors for overweight and obesity, and underlines the importance of using a multi-dimensional approach to addressing and preventing overweight and obesity among children in SC. * P-value < 0.05