US researchers declared that obesity among American children is much worse than previously believed, putting them at greater risk of serious health problems as they age. Begging the question where those researchers were hiding during the past 5 to 7 years?
The Journal of Pediatrics quoted a study of 700,000 student in southern California alone that found 45,000 students to be extremely obese (sounds like a new category) with boys leading the charge. Co-authored by Dr. Amy Porter of Kaiser Permanente, says that the study showed extreme obesity rising in almost every group (multi-ethnic study by age, race, and gender). This translates to 7% of boys and 5% of girls being extremely obese and 2% of all children under 5 years old. Previous research from federal health surveys suggested 3.8% of children were extremely obese.
The researchers pointed out that without major lifestyle changes, these kids face 10 to 20 years shorter life spans and will develop health problems in their 20's that we typically see in 40-to-60-year-olds. Scary thought!
And the bottom line? Two-thirds of all adults in the USA are overweight or obese. One third of all children in the USA is obese. The increasing risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic illnesses adds about $150 billion a year to US health care costs.
There is not single solution but a combination of more physical activity during the day, healthier nutrition, and participation in organized sports will be a good start.
Michael Cordier
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