Obesity Prevalence and Trend Among Mississippi High-School Students: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 2001–2021

Obesity has become the most consequential threat to the health of Mississippians, as it is known to be associated with major chronic diseases such as type II diabetes, heart disease, and strokes. Obesity prevalence among Mississippi adolescents has been among the highest in the nation. In this study...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zhen Zhang, Xiaoshan Z. Gordy, Lei Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Obesities
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4168/5/1/6
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Summary:Obesity has become the most consequential threat to the health of Mississippians, as it is known to be associated with major chronic diseases such as type II diabetes, heart disease, and strokes. Obesity prevalence among Mississippi adolescents has been among the highest in the nation. In this study, data from Mississippi Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 2001–2021 were obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). YRBSS is a survey using a self-administered questionnaire to track the risk behaviors of students in grades 9 to 12. The survey packages in R were utilized for summary statistics to account for the YRBSS complex sampling design that includes stratification, clustering, and unequal probabilities of selection. Logistic regression models and Joinpoint software 5.3.0 were used for trend analysis. Obesity prevalence in Mississippi high-school students demonstrated a significant increasing trend from 2001 to 2021, as a whole or stratified by gender or race. Furthermore, Mississippi obesity prevalence among high-school students has been increasing at a greater pace compared to that of the United States. The increasing trend in obesity prevalence among Mississippi high-school students warrants urgent attention at the government, community, school, family, and personal levels. Concerted efforts must be made to fight and eventually reverse this epidemic.
ISSN:2673-4168