LightenUp Lancaster County has compiled information concerning weight and obesety among children and youth in America and Lancaster County in a PowerPoint Presentation, which is available for download here.

Below are some of the findings:

Overweight in America

• Among youths aged 12-19, the prevalence of overweight more than tripled between 1980 and 2002, increasing from 5% to 16%
• Among children aged 6-11, the prevalence of overweight more than doubled during the same period, going from 7% to 16%
• Among 2-5 year olds, the prevalence of overweight rose from 7% to more than 10% between 1994 and 2002, a more than 40% increase.

Source: http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/Files/publications/Obesity%20Impact-v2.pdf
 

• Adolescents who are overweight have a 70% chance of being overweight or obese as adults.
• The prevalence of overweight among youths aged 6-19 is higher for African Americans (21%) and Hispanics (22%) than for whites (14%).

Source: http://www.prevent.org/images/stories/Files/publications/Obesity%20Impact-v2.pdf
 

"We must intensify our efforts for early identification and early prevention of overweight and obesity, or we are going to have the first generation of children who do not live as long as their parents." - Dr. George Blackburn, Association Director, Division of Nutrition, Harvard Medical School
 

Local Trends

• 18 percent of Pennsylvania youth were overweight (nearly one in every five and notably above the national rate).
• 62% of adults in Lancaster are overweight according to 2004-2006 data.

Source: PA Department of Health. Pennsylvania Nutrition and Physical Activity Plan. Available at http://www.dsf.health.state.pa.us/health/cwp/view.asp? A= 190&Q==23320 1 (Accessed 7/25/2003).
PA Department of Health. Bureau of Health Statistics and Research. Available at http://app2.health.state.pa.us/epiqms/Asp/SelectParams_BRFSS_Tbl_Region.asp