Prevalence of growth stunting and obesity: Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System, 1982.

Pediatric surveillance data for 1982 are examined in terms of the prevalence of growth stunting and obesity. Results indicate that growth stunting is observed in approximately 6%-16% of children in the age group from birth through 4 years. Overall, the prevalence of stunting trends to increase with age. Native American and Hispanic children show the highest prevalence of stunting. Obesity is observed to vary from 5%-13% in different age and ethnic subgroups. Obesity increases in prevalence among 1-year-olds relative to infants less than 1 year of age, but from 2-4 years of age there are no consistent trends in the prevalence of obesity with increasing age. Native American children, followed by Hispanic children, have the highest prevalence of obesity as reflected in high weight-for-height. The prevalence of growth stunting and obesity in the populations under surveillance is greater the 5% level "expected" when compared with the reference population, suggesting that the children attending publicly supported health programs are at increased nutritional risk. At the same time, the prevalence of low weight-for-height is generally less than the 5% level, suggesting that thinness is not a significant public health program in the populations under surveillance. The observation of increased stunting as well as high weight-for-height among Hispanic and Native American children raises a number of issues in interpretation and suggests that the diet of these children may be relatively adequate in quantity but inadequate in quality of nutrient intake.