The prevalence of obesity increased substantially between the 1970s and 1990s in the United States. Childhood obesity increased from 5 percent to 13 percent between 1964 and 1994. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly 17 percent of children and adolescents between age 2 and 19 were obese as of 2008. Lifestyle practices and changing dietary habits may help explain why more children are overweight or obese today.
Missed Breakfast
Skipping breakfast may partially explain why there are more overweight and obese children today. Children who eat breakfast may be less likely to develop obesity, because children who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight; there has been a decline in children who eat breakfast, especially if their mothers work. Breakfast helps get your child's metabolism going and provides reduced hunger and snacking during the day.
More Soda
The body releases hormones that help you feel full only when you eat food and not with liquids. Sodas contain a lot of calories, simple sugars and high-fructose corn syrup, but do not make you feel full. Your child may gain approximately 15 lbs. of fat if he or she drinks just one soda every day for a year if the calories are not offset by activity. Soda consumption increased in the early to mid-'90s, during which 32 percent of adolescent girls and 52 percent of adolescent boys drank three or more 8-oz. servings of soda a day.
More Calories
The most common cause of obesity in a child is eating more dietary calories than he or she expends with daily activity. Increased calorie consumption may partially explain why more children are overweight or obese today. Adolescent girls and boys consumed 113 and 243 calories more, respectively, in the mid-'90s than in the early 1970s. High-calorie snack consumption increased by approximately 121 calories during this time period. Larger portions may also contribute to increased calorie consumption.
Less Physical Activity
Physical activity helps your child burn energy that the body would otherwise store as fat. More children may be overweight or obese today, due to lower physical activity. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported that schools may not offer as much free play or physical activity for children as they once did. Daily physical education enrollment among high school students went down from 42 percent in 1991 to 25 percent in 1995.
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