Child Obesity and Acanthosis Nigricans in the Children's Healthy Living Program (CHL)

Abstract

Due to high levels of adult obesity and diabetes in the United States (US) Affiliated Pacific region, and paucity of data among young children, the Children's Healthy Living (CHL) program conducted prevalence surveys for young child obesity and acanthosis nigricans in eight jurisdictions. Children (4,017; 2-8yo) were weighed, measured, and assessed for acanthosis nigricans (AN). AN prevalence (%) differed by jurisdiction (X2 = 107.7, p < 0.001): Alaska, 0; American Samoa, 5; Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI), 9; Guam, 3; Hawaii, 1; Palau, 5; Pohnpei, 12; Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), 11, and Overall, 5. Overweight prevalence (%) differed by jurisdiction (X2 = 72.3, p < 0.001): Alaska, 21; American Samoa, 20; CNMI, 11; Guam, 13; Hawaii, 17; Palau, 9; Pohnpei, 18; RMI, 2; and Overall, 15. Obesity prevalence (%) differed by jurisdiction (X2 = 96.6, p < 0.001): Alaska, 16; American Samoa 23; CNMI, 16; Guam, 14; Hawaii, 16; Palau, 16; Pohnpei, 4; RMI, 0; and Overall, 16. AN prevalence (%) was higher among 6-8yo (7) than 2-5yo (4, X2 = 23.6, p<0.001), and among Asian (8), Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (6), and among those of more than one race (3), than among Native American/Alaskan (0), Black (0), and White (0) (X2 = 44.5, p < 0.001). AN prevalence (%) was higher among those who were obese (17) compared to other weight categories (3) (X2 = 253, p < 0.001). Presence of AN, and its relationship to obesity, suggests an urgent need for attention to young children in US Affiliated Pacific populations. USDA 2011-68001-30335