CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Approximately 17% of American children and adolescents are currently obese, a prevalence that has tripled since 1980. Its effects are vast. Obese children are more likely than normal-weight children to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, asthma, joint problems, fatty liver disease, and psychological problems. Obese children are at increased risk of being bullied and often endure negative stereotyping and comments from their peers. Moreover, obese children often become obese adults and are at a higher risk of a number of serious chronic diseases. (INFOGRAPHIC 18.9)

INFOGRAPHIC 18.9 Childhood BMI and the Risk of Adult Obesity Overweight and obese children are at an increased risk of becoming obese as adults.
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Question 18.6

image Describe the interaction that occurs between excess body fat and a child’s age, and their risk of being obese as an adult.

Children who have a healthy body weight are much less likely than overweight or obese children to grow up to be obese at age 25. For example, roughly 58% of 25-year-olds who were overweight at ages 6 to 10 are obese. In contrast, roughly 10% of 25-year-olds who were normal weight at ages 6 to 10 are obese.

The causes of childhood obesity are varied. Diet is, of course, one of them—kids are eating more energy-dense foods, bigger portion sizes, and more meals away from home. Most children are also too sedentary. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans note that screen time, and in particular TV viewing, is associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. As a result, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents spend no more than one to two hours a day watching television, playing electronic games, or using the computer (other than for homework). Yet children tend to spend far more time than is recommended in these sedentary pursuits. A recent study found that children 8 to 10 years of age spend an average of 7.5 hours a day using entertainment media, including 4.5 hours of watching TV. In addition to being a sedentary behavior, television viewing also appears to have a negative impact on diet quality. Increased duration of television viewing by adolescents in grades 7 through 10 was associated with decreased fruit and vegetable intake, and higher intakes of candy and fast food.

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Fighting against childhood obesity, First Lady Michelle Obama encourages children to exercise through the Let’s Move! program.

National, state, and private programs are actively working to reduce and prevent the prevalence of childhood obesity through education, community-based programs, health-related legislation, food industry changes, and other initiatives. These include Let’s Move!, a comprehensive initiative launched by First Lady Michelle Obama. Another is the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation. And the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has noted recent progress in reducing rates of childhood obesity. For example, the obesity rate among children and young adults ages 2 to 19 has leveled off.