SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS AND OBESITY IN PREADOLESCENT BLACK-AND-WHITEGIRLS - NHLBIS GROWTH AND HEALTH STUDY

The association of sociodemographic and family composition data with o besity was studied in 1213 black and 1166 white girls, ages 9 and 10, enrolled in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Growth and Health Study Obesity was defined as body mass index at or greater tha n age-and sex-specific 85th percentile as outlined in the Second Natio nal Health and Nutrition Examination Survey The prevalence of obesity was higher for pubertal girls than For prepubertal girls and For girls with older mothers/female guardians. An odds ratio of 1.14 was observ ed for each 5-year increase in maternal age. Obesity was less common f or girls with more siblings; the odds for obesity decreased by 14% for each additional sibling in the household. In blacks, the prevalence o f obesity was not related to parental employment or to parental educat ion. In whites, the odds of obesity were higher for girls with no empl oyed parent/guardian in the household and for girls with parents or gu ardians with lower levels of educational attainment. Examining the ass ociations between sociodemographic factors and risk of childhood obesi ty provides important clues for understanding racial differences in ob esity a major risk factor for coronary heart disease.