According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Mortality and Mobility Weekly Report one in seven low-income, preschool U.S. children are obese, but the obesity epidemic in this age group may be stabilizing.

The CDC report said that although the prevalence of obesity among children in the low income group is still very high at 14.5% it seems to have leveled off in the last five years.  Obesity prevalence increased from 12.4 % in 1998 to 14.5 % in 2003 and has stayed at the mark since then with prevalence in 2008 at 14.6%.

Andrea Sharma, PhD, a CDC epidemiologist, and colleagues said, "These results suggest overall progress in stabilizing the prevalence of childhood obesity in a subset of low-income, preschool-aged children."  

The researchers said reasons for the stabilization are not exactly clear, but they said one factor may be prevention efforts in state and local programs.  

Data from the CDC's Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System (PedNSS), a voluntary state system of children ages 4 and under enrolled in federal programs including the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) was studied.  

The researchers said obesity prevalence among low-income preschool-aged children increased from 12.4% in 1998 to 14.5% in 2003. However there was little change from 2003 through 2008, the latest year for which data are available, with 14.6% prevalence.

Only among American Indian and Alaska Native children obesity prevalence was seen to increase between 2003 and 2008, rising about a half of a percentage point each year. In a state wise analysis only Colorado and Hawaii had a prevalence of childhood obesity lower than 10%.

Obesity prevalence was highest among American Indian and Alaska Native children and Hispanic children (21.2% and 18.5%, respectively) and lowest among children who are white (12.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (12.3%), and black (11.8%).

The report said although obesity prevalence has declined or remained constant, it is a serious health issue particularly among American Indian and Alaska Native children.  The researchers said in order to reduce obesity in the future better policies promoting physical activity and healthy diets are needed.

William H. Dietz, MD, PhD, director of the CDC's divi