NEW MEXICO IS MAKING SOME PROGRESS IN FIGHTING CHILDHOOD OBESITY. THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SAYS THERE’S BEEN A DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE STUDENTS IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS. THE LATEST STATISTICS SHOW A 16 PERCENT DROP FOR THIRD GRADERS AND A 10 PERCENT DECLINE FOR KINDERGARTNERS.
HOWEVER, THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT SAYS RATES ARE STILL HIGH, WITH MORE THAN ONE-IN-THREE THIRD GRADERS AND ONE-IN-FOUR KINDERGARTNERS EITHER OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE.
OBESITY CONTINUES TO AFFECT AMERICAN INDIAN CHILDREN AT A HIGH RATE. BY THE THIRD GRADE, OVER 50 PERCENT OF AMERICAN INDIAN STUDENTS ARE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE, FOLLOWED BY HISPANICS AT 36 PERCENT
