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The fact that childhood obesity in the U.S. has reached
epidemic proportions is not news. You've seen the headlines
and watched the news. The news itself has become
"super-sized" . . . and so have the repercussions.
The real news is the life-long impact excess weight will
have on today's children. Overweight children have increased
odds for developing:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- Severe problems with sleep apnea
- Problems with liver disease, asthma, and orthopaedic
concerns
What does this obesity epidemic mean to society? It
means:
- The number of overweight children has doubled in the
past 25 years
- This epidemic affects kids across the board, hitting
all socio-economic, race, and gender groups
- Overweight children will face social discrimination,
low self-esteem, and depression
- The overweight children of today have a 70 percent
chance of becoming an overweight or obese adult and face
those heavy-duty health problems
Future health care costs will increase proportionately.
Today, the cost of adult obesity is estimated at $92.6
billion or 9.1 percent of U.S. health expenditures.
The causes
- Overeating
- Poor diet
- Inactivity
- Genetics, in some cases
- Eating disorders, in few cases
Statistics
- 15.5 percent of U.S. adolescents (ages 12 to 19) are
overweight, up from 11 percent in 1994.* In 1965, 5
percent of adolescents were overweight.**
- 15.3 percent of U.S. children (ages 6 to 11) are
overweight, up from 11 percent in 1994.* In 1965, 4
percent of children were overweight.**
- More than 10 percent of U.S. preschool children (ages
2 to 5) are overweight, up 7 percent from 1994. ***
- Almost half of all U.S. children between the ages of
8 and 16 watch three to five hours of television daily.
Those who watch the most hours of television have the
highest incidence of obesity
*National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases
**Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
*** National Institutes of Health
How to help
"Be supportive. Children know when they are overweight
and don't need to be reminded. They need acceptance, love,
and encouragement to change. Families will make or break the
goals to be achieved," says Eva Tsalikian, M.D., UI
pediatrician.
Other suggestions include:
- Start with small, attainable goals that help
build healthy habits for the whole family.
- Set guidelines for the amount of time your
children spend in sedentary activities like watching
television or playing computer games.
- Plan family activities that include hiking,
bicycling, walking, simple yard work, or washing the car.
Offer positive choices and let your child decide.
- Start out slow. Find activities your child can
successfully participate in without embarrassment.
- Don't use food as a reward or punishment.
- See your physician to help develop a diet
appropriate for your child.
For more information, please call UI
Health Access at 319-384-8442, ext. 704, or
800-777-8442, ext. 704.
For more information:
Listed above are Web sites that offer additional
information on this topic. University of Iowa Health Care
does not sponsor or endorse these sites, or guarantee the
accuracy of the information contained on these sites. These
links are here for general information only, and should not
be used for personal diagnosis or treatment. If you have any
questions, please contact UI
Health Access.
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