Ten Facts About Childhood Obesity

by Wellness Editor – MH

Unfortunately, obesity in the United States isn’t just a problem limited to adults. As shown by the facts presented below, many children in the United States are likewise dealing with this problem: 

  1. Since the 1970s, the number of children and adolescents with obesity has increased by more than 300 percent.
  2. In 2015/2016, approximately one fifth of children aged 6 to 19 qualified as obese.
  3. Obese children face an elevated threat of numerous health conditions, including type two diabetes and risk factors for heart disease. 
  4. Children struggling with obesity tend to suffer from mental health issues, such as social isolation, depression, and lower self-esteem. This is often due to bullying and teasing related to their weight. 
  5. Children who become obese face an elevated risk of experiencing obesity in their adult years. 
  6. Aside from eating habits, risk factors for childhood obesity include lack of physical activity, metabolic issues, genetics and poor sleeping patterns. 
  7. According to the World Health Organization, some 41 million infants and young children across the world (ages 0 to 5) were considered obese in 2016. 
  8. At present rate, there will be 70 million obese children and infants worldwide by the year 2025. 
  9. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that childhood obesity rates are higher for Hispanics (25.8%) and non-Hispanic blacks (22.0%) than non-Hispanic whites (14.1%).
  10. In 2017, nearly 15 percent of all high school students in the United States met the criteria for being obese. 

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