The National Center for Health Statistics reports that, among preschool children aged 2-5, obesity increased from 5.0% to 10.4% between 1976-1980 and 2007-2008.  The increase was higher for children aged 6-11, demonstrating and increase from 6.5% to 19.6%. Data released in 2009 by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation indicated that U.S. childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since 1980.  For children ages 10-17, South Carolina ranked 13^th in 2007, with 33.7% of children in this age group being overweight or obese.

Spartanburg County subject matter experts have identified pediatric obesity as the number one pediatric medical problem in South Carolina.  Data collected on younger children by the Spartanburg Childhood Obesity Task Force during the 2009-2010 school year, show that:

·         18% of elementary school children were obese

·         16.4% of elementary school children were overweight

·         34.4% of elementary school children were overweight or obese

·         63% of elementary school children were of healthy weight

·         3% of elementary school children were underweight

Obesity is a major contributor to poor health outcomes in South Carolina. Being overweight or obese leads to serious chronic health conditions that significantly increase health care costs and decrease quality of life.  Data released in 2009 by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation indicated that adult obesity rates exceed 25% in 31 states and exceed 20% in 49 states and the District of Columbia.  Two-thirds of American adults are either obese or overweight.  South Carolina ranked 5^th highest among states and the District of Columbia for rate of adult obesity, 2006-2008, with 29.7% of the adult population being obese. 

According to 2008 BRFSS data, 65% of Spartanburg County adults are overweight or obese.  This is only slightly under the state prevalence of 66%.  Overweight increased in Spartanburg and Greenville Counties from 2007 to 2008, but decreased in Richland and Charleston.  The same data show that sedentary lifestyle, another risk factor for chronic health conditions, has 28% prevalence in Spartanburg County, slightly higher than the state prevalence of 27%. 

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The 2010 County Health Rankings Project (a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute) reported that Spartanburg County’s adult obesity rate was 30%, compared to the state rate of 29%.