An Alarming Increase in Obesity Among Black Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic

A new study presented at ACC.25 finds a striking increase in obesity prevalence among Black children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There is growing concern that the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the childhood obesity crisis. However, it is not known how obesity prevalence has changed among children and adolescents during the pandemic, both overall and by race/ethnicity,” the researchers noted.

The researchers analyzed in-person examination data from the 2011-2023 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to assess the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among 19,981 children (aged 2 to 11 years) and adolescents (aged 2 to 19 years). Weight changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic were estimated using multivariable linear regression.

The findings showed that obesity prevalence increased from 20.6% in 2011-2020 to 22.0% in 2021-2023 (adjusted difference, 3.85%; 95% CI, 1.32%-6.37%). Notably, among racial and ethnic subgroups, obesity prevalence increased only among Black children and adolescents (from 22.5% to 35.8%; adjusted difference, 14.35%; 95% CI, 4.12%-24.58%), a change significantly larger than that observed among their White counterparts (P=0.04), the investigators noted.

Liu M, et al. Increasing obesity prevalence among Black children in the US, 2011 to August 2023. Presented at: American College of Cardiology 2025; March 29-31, 2025; Chicago, IL.