According to the National Institutes of Health, the percentage of overweight children and adolescents more than doubled from 1979 to 2009. The NIH says 17 percent of children ages 2 to 19 in the U.S. are either overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says childhood obesity occurs when a child far exceeds the average weight for his age and height. As with adults, overweight and obese children are at a higher risk of developing a number of health conditions
Causes
The Mayo Clinic says the primary cause of childhood obesity is simple: too much food and not enough physical activity It says a few cases of obesity in kids are due to genetic and hormonal factors, though this is much less common.
Preschool Age Trends
The CDC says data collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey show an upward trend in childhood obesity. From 1976 to 1980, the prevalence of obesity for children ages 2 to 5 was 5 percent. From 2003 to 2006, the percentage more than doubled to 12.4 percent.
Elementary School-Age Trends
The rise in obesity rates was slightly higher in the 6-to-11 age group, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The obesity rate among elementary age school-age children in the mid 1970s was 6.5 percent. About 30 years later, it had jumped to 17 percent.
Adolescent Trends
The largest increase in obese children was among the adolescent population. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey says the percentage of obese teenagers rose from 5 percent in the mid 1970s to nearly 18 percent three decades later.
Low Income Children & Obesity Rates
The CDC says 1 in 7 low-income, preschool-aged children is obese. In 1998, more than 12 percent of low-income kids ages 2 to 4 were obese. The percentage rose to 14.5 percent in 2003 and remained nearly stable five years later at 14.6 percent.
Dangers of Childhood Obesity
According to the CDC, health care professionals are concerned about the upward trends in childhood obesity because the condition can lead to numerous health problems. These include heart disease due to high blood pressure and high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, asthma and social discrimination. The Mayo Clinic says overweight children are more apt to suffer from anxiety and may have weaker social skills than normal-weight children.
Prevention/Solution
The CDC says it's important to help kids stay active to help prevent and treat obesity. Regular exercise helps lower blood pressure, reduce stress and anxiety, strengthen bones, boost self-esteem and control weight. The National Institutes of Health says you should also encourage nutritious eating by replacing high-calorie snack foods with fruits and vegetables.
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