data // Obesity Among WIC Participants Ages 2-4, 2000-2014

Obesity Among WIC Participants Ages 2-4, 2000-2014

Rates of obesity and severe obesity have declined among 2- to 4-year-olds enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). From 2010 to 2014, the rate of obesity dropped from 15.9% to 14.5% and the rate of severe obesity dropped from 2.12% to 1.96%.1,2

During this time, the obesity rate among preschoolers in WIC decreased in 31 states and three territories, increased in four states and remained stable in the rest. The map below highlights the most recent state-level data: obesity rates exceeded 15% in 18 states and ranged from a low of 8.2% in Utah and a high of 20.0% in Virginia to in 2014.

Learn more about policies and programs that aim to help children achieve a healthy weight during early childhood, including CDC’s work in early care and education and WIC, which provides benefits to more than 4 million children under age 5.

Obesity Rate: WIC Participants Ages 2-4,

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Percent of WIC participants ages 2-4 with obesity

Obesity Among Participants Ages 2-4,

Notes

Data Source: The CDC and the USDA conducted a study analyzing trends in obesity from 2000 to 2014 among 2- to 4-year-old WIC participants. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children Participant and Program Characteristics: a biennial census by USDA that includes participants who are certified to receive WIC benefits between April 1 and April 30 of the reporting year. Data for 2000, 2004, 2010, and 2014. Data for 2008 and 2012: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. Data, Trend and Maps. [accessed Jan 18, 2018].

1 Pan L, Freedman DS, Sharma AJ, et al. Trends in Obesity Among Participants Aged 2-4 Years in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children - United States, 2000–2014. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) 2016;65:1256–1260. DOI.

2 Pan L, Park S, Slayton R, Goodman AB, Blanck HM. Trends in Severe Obesity Among Children Aged 2 to 4 Years Enrolled in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children From 2000 to 2014. JAMA Pediatr. Published online January 08, 2018. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.4301