Syracuse, N.Y. -- Obesity rates have dropped dramatically among children ages 2 to 5, according to the federal government.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the prevalence of obesity in this age group dropped to 8 percent in 2011-2012, down from 14 percent in 2003-2004. That represents a decline of 43 percent. The CDC data appears in the latest edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
"We continue to see signs that, for some children in this country, the scales are tipping," Dr. Tom Frieden, CDC director, said in a prepared statement.
The CDC said that while the exact reasons for the decline are not clear, many child care centers have improved nutrition and physical activity standards. CDC data also shows decreases in consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages among youth in recent years. The CDC said another possible factor might be the improvement in breastfeeding rates in the United States, which helps stave off obesity in breast fed children.
The CDC data indicates there have been no significant changes in obesity rates among 2- to 19-year-olds or adults in the United States.
You can contact health writer James T. Mulder at firstname.lastname@example.org or (315) 470-2245. Follow him on Twitter @JamesTMulder