Our Youth Now Entering the Realm of Extreme Obesity at an Alarming Rate
Extreme, or morbid, obesity is now threatening the youngest members of our
society. While recent studies have illuminated the weight problems of American
children, new findings show that more than 6 percent of our youth are seriously
obese, weighing more than 120 percent of the standard 95th percentile
on the growth charts.
Last month, results of an analysis published in the Journal of the
American Medical Association found that children between the ages of eight
to 14 were shown to have an obesity rate of 8.3 percent at the end of 1994, but
by the end of 2006 the rates were found to have increased to 15.8 percent. A new
study, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente looked at electronic medical charts that
had the height and weight of more than 700,000 children who had inpatient and
outpatient visits in 2007 and 2008.
The analysis, based on standardized growth charts, found that 37.1 percent of
the children were overweight (at or above the 85th percentile), 19.4
percent were obese (at or above the 95th percentile), and 6.4 percent
were extremely obese (at or above 120 percent of the 95th
percentile). While the review was gender-balanced, the team did find that weight
issues were higher in males, with 7 percent of boys and 5 percent of girls in
the extreme category. The findings also showed that in some ethnic groups the
extreme level reached as high as 12 percent.
"There is an alarming high frequency of extremely obese children," said study
author Corinna Koebnick, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Southern
California Department of Research and Evaluation. "Children who are extremely
obese may continue to be extremely obese as adults, and all the health problems
associated with obesity are in these children's futures. Without major lifestyle
changes, these kids face a 10 to 20 years shorter life span and will develop
health problems in their 20s that we typically see in 40- [to]
60-year-olds."
These latest statistics should be a wake-up call to better monitor and
protect our children. U.S. children need to develop better health habits
including eating a healthy diet, and getting an adequate amount of exercise.
With spring arriving, it’s time to send them outdoors to enjoy the day, getting
off the couch and into the sunshine. Take a walk to the local farmers market,
plant a vegetable garden, enroll in the local YMCA or Boys and Girls program.
Find an outdoor activity that they will like. And a healthy diet can go a long
way in the prevention of obesity, as well as build a solid foundation for
maintaining health later in life. Published by: Susan Brady - Friday, 19 March 2010 of HealthNews.com
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