Although recent reports suggest the childhood obesity epidemic in the US may have abated somewhat, a new study finds that the overall trend masks growing socioeconomic disparities, with teens in poorer families showing increased rates of obesity.
In August 2013, researchers reported how for the first time in 30 years, in all but one state of the US, obesity rates are holding steady.
Meanwhile, also in August 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that US child obesity rates are dropping.
Stable pattern masks widening gap
But Dr. Carl Frederick, of Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, and colleagues noticed a disturbing pattern underlying these apparently welcome trends, which they reported in a recent online issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences:
"[...] we document that the overall trend in youth obesity rates masks a significant and growing class gap between youth from upper and lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds."
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