A new study from the American Journal of Public Health found that obesity prevalence significantly increased among lower-income California adolescents between 2001 and 2007 in California. Although the overall disparity in obesity by family income doubled during this time period, trends were more consistent among male adolescents than among female adolescents.
Using data from 17,535 adolescents who responded to the California Health Interview Survey, researchers examined disparities in obesity prevalence by family income and gender. They found that adolescents from low-income families have a higher prevalence of obesity than those from higher-income families. Moreover, while there were no statistically significant differences in obesity than those from higher-income adolescents between 2001 and 2007, obesity rates increased significantly among low-income adolescents, particularly males.
“The fact that we observed significant increases in disparities in obesity rates between adolescents from poor families and adolescents from higher-income families in California over a relatively short period of time (2001-2007) is somewhat alarming,” the study’s authors noted, adding that “obesity prevention efforts may need to be adapted to better serve the needs of low-income adolescents.”
Source – The American Journal of Public Health