More Than 1 in 3 Louisiana Kids Are Obese, Nearly Worst State in America

Obesity in America, as we know it, is a serious problem. And in Louisiana, we're fighting that battle just as much as any state, for both adults and kids.

It's the latter that is the subject of a recent report. Louisiana ranks 46th in youth obesity in America with 35.6% of children in our state between the ages of 10 and 17 who have obesity or are overweight for their age based on reported height and weight.

This latest report is according to 2023 data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Nationally, just under one-third of children between the ages of 10 and 17 have obesity or are overweight. That national average is 31.1%.

After Louisiana, the bottom of the rankings includes Texas (36.7%), Arkansas (37.9%), West Virginia (41.7%), and Mississippi (42.0%).

On the flip side, the top five states are as follows:

• New Hampshire (21.6%)
• Idaho (24.3%)
• South Dakota (24.4%)
• Vermont (24.8%)
• Utah (25.0%)

Childhood Obesity in America through the years

The prevalence of childhood obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s, according to the National Center for Health Statistics.

What constitutes child obesity?

Childhood obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) value at or above the 95th percentile based on age and sex, while overweight is defined as a BMI value at or above the 85th percentile, but below the 95th percentile.

In 2023, the American Medical Association adopted a new policy addressing the shortcomings of BMI as a clinical measure of health, suggesting that it be used in conjunction with other measures such as body composition.

How do we prevent childhood obesity?

To the surprise of no one, the World Health Organization says the two most important means of preventing childhood obesity are through healthy eating and regular physical activity.

So, get your kids off the couch and pick some vegetables out of the garden and grub on that versus Little Debbie's.