SANTA FE, N.M. – Childhood obesity rates continue to decline in New Mexico, according to a new report released by the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH), which highlights a fourth consecutive year of progress among third grade students statewide.
The 2024 report, The Weight of Our Children, issued by NMDOH’s Obesity, Nutrition and Physical Activity Program (ONAPA), reflects data collected from 2,946 kindergarten and third grade students in 40 schools across 21 counties.
According to the report, obesity rates for third graders dropped from 27.5 percent in 2023 to 24.1 percent in 2024, while kindergarten obesity rates decreased slightly from 18.2 percent to 17.3 percent over the same period.
Despite these gains, NMDOH officials caution that obesity remains a serious and complex public health issue in New Mexico, one influenced by factors such as food insecurity, access to healthy food, community infrastructure, and socioeconomic status.
“We collect and analyze obesity data so we can invest our resources in areas that lack infrastructure for safe physical activity and opportunities to buy affordable healthy food,” said Gina De-Blassie, NMDOH Secretary. “Obesity in children highlights inequities in our community infrastructure and access to resources.”
The report Boys had higher obesity rates than girls in both grades. Among third graders, 28.6 percent of boys were classified as obese, compared to 19.6 percent of girls.
American Indian students continued to have the highest obesity prevalence at 27.6 percent, followed by Hispanic and African American students.
More than 41 percent of third grade students were classified as overweight or obese, compared to 30.8 percent of kindergarten students, suggesting that early elementary years are a critical period for intervention.
Data reflects nonmetro areas across the state due to ongoing low participation from schools in urban districts postpandemic.
The Department's long-running surveillance program, established in 2010, measures body mass index (BMI) among kindergarten and third grade students each fall. The data is used to track trends, identify at-risk populations, and inform resource allocation for statewide and local initiatives.
While the state has seen improvement, NMDOH emphasized that New Mexico continues to have higher poverty rates among children—with 24.7 percent of schoolaged children living in poverty, compared to a national rate of 15.7 percent— placing them at greater risk for obesity-related health challenges such as diabetes, hypertension, and depression.
Local Impact
In Cibola County, programs once supported by ONAPA funding have left a lasting mark.
'As a former recipient of the Healthy Kids Healthy Communities funding, our Health Council is proud to see the ongoing impact of this important work reflected in the state’s recent childhood obesity report,' said Marcie Chavez, Health Council Coordinator for the Cibola Health Council.
“Locally, this funding— brought to our community through the efforts of Laura Jaramillo, thendirector of Future Foundations Family Center—helped bring to life key projects like our seasonal Farmers Market and the recreational outdoor trail that begins at Riverwalk Park. Both of those projects continue to provide access to healthy food and opportunities for physical activity for our youth. While we are not currently part of the grant program, we recognize the critical role these kinds of investments play in improving community health and creating longterm solutions to childhood obesity.”
ONAPA and its Healthy Kids Healthy Communities program continue to collaborate with local and tribal governments, schools, and nonprofit organizations to implement sustainable changes to community environments. Strategies include: • Edible school and community gardens
• The New Mexico Grown Program, which integrates local produce into school meals
• Farmers markets
• Safe walking and biking routes
• School-based walking programs and salad bars These efforts aim to increase opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity, especially in underserved rural and tribal communities.
While the data shows encouraging trends, NMDOH officials note that participation rates in metro areas remain limited, and that more resources are needed to expand successful programs statewide.
The full report is available on the NMDOH website.