Community Corner

More Than 15 Percent of Poor Toddlers in Connecticut Still Obese

The most recent data on state obesity rates indicate we haven't reduced the number of obese children living in poverty.

This article written by Eileen McNamara.

At least 15 percent of kids ages 2-4 who live in poverty are obese, a rate that has remained unchanged in recent years, though national obesity rates have improved. 

Data from the national Centers For Disease Control for 2011, the most recent year available, shows that 15.8 percent of 27,561 Connecticut children between the ages of 2 to 4 were considered obese and that Connecticut is among just 10 states where 15 percent or more of that population is obese, according to the website CT News Junkie. 

2012 study by the state found that about one third of kids in kindergarten through third grade in Connecticut are overweight and about one out of every seven are obese, the website says. 

William Gerrish, a spokesman for the state's Department of Health, told the website that Connecticut needs to do better to address the health issues posed by childhood obesity. 

“Children who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop these serious chronic diseases at earlier ages that lead to premature disability, early death, loss of productivity and decreased quality of life,” he said. “The CDC’s recent study highlights the need for more work to address childhood obesity in Connecticut, especially among high-risk groups such as low-income, black and Hispanic children."


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