Overweight or Obesity - Youth in New Jersey

New Jersey

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s. 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 and less than the 95th percentile. 

Children who have obesity are more likely to have obesity as adults. Overweight or obesity in childhood is associated with physical, social and psychological health issues during adolescence and adulthood. Some of the associated health issues include: substance misuse in adulthood, increased risk of disordered eating behaviors and chronic diseases as well as poor self-esteem. 

While body mass index (BMI) can serve as an easily accessible proxy for population health, it has its limitations. BMI does not distinguish between excess fat and muscle or bone mass, and the relationship between BMI and body fat is influenced by sex, age and ethnicity. Further, it does not capture the complexity of human health; individuals can have a high BMI and good cardiovascular health, while others can have what is categorized as a “healthy” or “normal” BMI and poor cardiovascular health. The American Medical Association adopted a new policy in 2023 addressing the shortcomings of BMI as a clinical measure of health and suggesting that BMI be used in conjunction with other valid measures, such as body composition. 

Additionally, weight stigma, also known as weight-based discrimination or weight bias, can have many negative impacts, including mood and anxiety disorders and avoidance of exercise. Weight stigma is pervasive in health care, with reports of medical professionals spending less time with higher-weight patients, engaging in less education and even being reluctant to perform certain procedures on patients with a higher BMI. Weight stigma in the clinical environment can make individuals feel uncomfortable or marginalized, resulting in avoidance of seeking health care.

The prevalence of obesity is higher among:

• Youth ages 10-13 compared with those ages 14-17. 
• Boys compared with girls. 
• Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic youth compared with non-Hispanic Asian and non-Hispanic white youth.
• Children who live in households with incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level compared with those who live in higher income households. 
• Children living in households where the highest level of education earned by an adult was a high school diploma/GED degree or less than high school, compared with those living with an adult who has graduated from college.

According to the World Health Organization, the two most important means of preventing childhood obesity are healthy eating and physical activity. Governments, NGOs and the private sector all play a role in ensuring healthy environments and diets are affordable and accessible. These behaviors have many different societal influences, including families, schools, health care providers and communities, as well as government agencies, media and food and beverage industries. 

Many studies have identified comprehensive school-based approaches effective at preventing obesity. However, often schools implement non-evidence based programs that may lead to worsening of weight stigma among children in school. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information about evidence-based family healthy weight programs and early care and education programs.

Families can support children at home — the CDC provides tips for parents to help children maintain a healthy weight. The CDC also provides state licensing scorecards that show how well the early care and education programs meet obesity prevention standards. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides resources on weight management for youth.

Healthy People 2030 has an objective to reduce childhood obesity.

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