Sabrina Tavernise reported in The New York Times on February 26, 2014 about a recent federal survey showing that obesity in 2-5 year olds was reduced by 43%. This is even more significant as 3-5 year old children who are obese are five times more likely to be overweight or obese as adults. This reduction represents a change from 14 % of 2-5 year olds who were obese in 2004 to 8% in 2012. This report has been published in JAMA. Unfortunately, older children and adults continue to have high rates of obesity with 17% of children and 33% of adults being obese. Women over 60 have actually increased their obesity rate.
So why are fewer young children obese. Some possible explanations are: that more women are breastfeeding; children are consuming fewer calories [4 % for girls and 7% for boys]; children are consuming fewer sugary drinks; day care centers are promoting healthier foods and more physical activity; and the federally financed Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children has reduced funding for juices, cheese and eggs while increasing funding for whole fruits and vegetables. Also, Michele Obama's Let's Move Program has been promoting more exercise for children. Finally, there have been recent indications that community supported public policy programs have helped children in low income school districts to lose weight as they ate healthier meals and exercised more.
It seems to me that a number of efforts to help children lose weight are working as families are being shown how to reduce weight and are also helped to do so. I believe that people do their best and if they are shown different ways to change patterns of behavior they will do it.