Question

1. 2011 Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance

The Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System (PedNSS) is a child-based public health surveillance system that describes the nutritional status of low-income U.S. children who attend federally funded maternal and child health and nutrition programs. PedNSS provides data on the prevalence and trends of nutrition-related indicators. It uses existing data from the following public health programs for nutrition surveillance:

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC);

Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) Program; and

Title V Maternal and Child Health Program (MCH).

Most of the data are from the WIC program that serves children up to age 5.

1. In New Mexico, information was collected on 15,139 children. Of these, 11,627 had been breastfed. What is the prevalence of breastfeeding in this sample?

2. Information was also collected for 1,915 infants on the Navajo Nation. The prevalence of being breastfed for at least six months was 37.1%. How many of these infants had been breastfed for six months?

3. Data on obesity for 3,480,880 children 2 – 5 years of age were also collected nationwide. In this sample, 501,247 were classified as obese using CDC growth charts. What is the prevalence of obesity in this group of children?

4. If data were available for all children 2 – 5 years of age throughout the United States not just those in these public health programs, do you think the prevalence of obesity would be different? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Ques 1. In New Mexico, information was collected on 15,139 children. Of these, 11,627 had been breastfed. What is the prevalence of breastfeeding in this sample?

Answer: Prevalence is calculated in percentage. Therefore, 11,627 divided by 15,139 multiplied by 100%. The result is 76.80 %. The prevalence of breastfeeding in this sample is 76.80 %.

Ques 2. Information was also collected for 1,915 infants on the Navajo Nation. The prevalence of being breastfed for at least six months was 37.1%. How many of these infants had been breastfed for six months?

Answer: 37.1% of 1915 is equal to 710 infants. You get result by multiplying 1915 by 37.1 divided by 100.

Ques 3. Data on obesity for 3,480,880 children 2 – 5 years of age were also collected nationwide. In this sample, 501,247 were classified as obese using CDC growth charts. What is the prevalence of obesity in this group of children?

Answer: Prevalence is calculated in percentage. Therefore, 501,247divided by 3,480,880 multiplied by 100%. The result is 14.4%. The prevalence of obesity in this group of children is 14.4%%.

Ques 4. If data were available for all children 2 – 5 years of age throughout the United States not just those in these public health programs, do you think the prevalence of obesity would be different? Why or why not?

Answer: Yes, it would be different because of the age factor.