Child Obesity: A Growing Epidemic
- It is estimated that 17% of children (12.5 million) are obese
- Child and teen obesity has tripled since 1980
- Children of lower socio-economic status are significantly more likely to struggle with obesity
- 15% of obese children ages 10-15 continue to be obese at age 25
- The earlier obesity starts in children the more likely it is to progress into adulthood
Obesity is almost always caused by taking in more energy (calories) than y0ur body uses (with the exception of some rare conditions).
Some staggering statistics from Let’s Move!
- Kids eat an average of 3 snacks per day (compared to 1 snack 30 years ago) resulting in an average of 200 more calories daily in snacks
- 1 in 5 school age children has 6 snacks per day
- The average sugar beverage size was just 13 oz in the 70′s, now it’s 20 oz
- We are now eating 31 percent more calories than we were forty years ago–including 56 percent more fats and oils and 14 percent more sugars and sweeteners.
- The average American now eats fifteen more pounds of sugar a year than in 1970
- Only one-third of high school students get the recommended levels of physical activity
How will obesity affect the lives of our children long-term?
- This article states that life expectancy is expected to decrease 2-5 years as compared to their parents
- Let’s Move! says 1 in 3 children born in 2000 are likely to develop diabetes in their lifetime
- The CDC says 70% of obese children have at least one cardiovascular risk factors
- According to the Center To Prevent Childhood Obesity, more than 100,000 children ages 5 to 14 suffer from asthma each year due to obesity
Other Effects of Obesity
- High cholesterol and high blood pressure
- Sleep apnea
- Early Puberty
- Depression
- Poor self esteem
- Bullying
Other Articles You Might Be Interested In:
Why Are So Many Children (and adults) So Overweight?
How To Talk To Your Child About Weightloss (Without Screwing Them Up)
