Obesity Rate Drops For Ohio Kids In Federal Food Programs

CLEVELAND — The obesity rate of Ohio children, ages 2 to 4, taking part in federally-assisted food program is among the lowest in the nation, according to a new study. Nationally, the obesity rate among children in the programs has declined since 2010.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released its Special Report: Obesity Rates Decline Among Young WIC Participants study this week. The foundation said that nearly 177,000 infants and children are part of a supplemental food program in Ohio. About 12.4 percent of those children are obese, the study found. That's the 15th lowest rate of obesity in the nation.

The national average for obesity among children in supplemental food programs was 13.9 percent. That rate declined nationally, from 2010 to 2016, and dropped in 41 states. Ohio's obesity rate mostly held steady over the span of the six-year study.

“These widespread declines in obesity rates are encouraging,” said Jamie Bussel, a senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “They show real progress in our efforts to help all children grow up at a healthy weight. Changes made to WIC in the last decade may be having a real impact—we should make sure it’s reaching everyone who’s eligible.”

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation study specifically examined children participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). The federally-funded program aids low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children under 5.

Participants in the WIC program receive healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and healthcare and social-service referrals. WIC served approximately 6.3 million Americans in 2018, including half of all infants born in the U.S.

The study also includes policy recommendations, like boosting funding to WIC's breastfeeding program, extending eligibility to all postpartum mothers through the first two years after birth, and expanding the WIC program to include children who are 6 (to align with school meal programs).

“Research shows that early childhood is when nutrition habits are developed. These habits can last all through adulthood and have a big impact on health,” said Megan Lott, deputy director of Healthy Eating Research, which convened the expert panel that developed the recommendations. “For the first time, we have a set of guidelines that parents, caregivers, healthcare professionals and policymakers can use as a blueprint to make informed decisions about which beverages can help children achieve optimal health.”

Utah had the lowest obesity rate among child participants in WIC, at 7.9 percent. Alaska had the highest obesity rate at 19.8 percent, the study found.