The Rise of Obesity in Children and Adolescents

The Rise of Obesity in Children and Adolescents

America may be one of the most industrialized nations today, but it certainly is not one of the healthiest. There is an obesity epidemic in America today, and it is attacking our children and adolescents. We have grown into a world of technology and many conveniences in the home, and as a result many of us have become lazy individuals. Families no longer participate in activities together, everyone seems to be constantly on the go, and all of us appear to be looking for quick fixes for meals that do not result in healthy decisions.

To better understand this dilemma we have to define the issue. The term “overweight” means eating more calories than one person burns, thus storing extra calories as fat. This usually occurs with a pattern of eating more than is burned. Obesity is defined as “having a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30%.” The body mass index is widely used to define overweight and obesity. Adults and children with body mass index between 85th and 95th percentile for age and sex is considered at risk of being overweight. When the body mass index reaches the 95th percentile or above, the individual is considered to be obese.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity in children alone has tripled in the past thirty years. Approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents between the ages of 2-19 years of age are obese. Between the age of 6 to 17 years 17.2% of males and 15.9% of females are obese as of 2006 (Doak, 2009). Thirty-three percent of adults are obese and deaths have climbed to more than 300,000 a year making this the second-leading cause of preventable deaths in America. Being overweight or obese targets all persons; it does not favor ethnicity. More than half of Americans are overweight, including an alarming 1 in 5 children and it is becoming more popular according to the “Prevention of Pediatric Overweight and Obesity” publication put out by American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP, 2003).

One must wonder how we came to where we are today, and some would say the cause is that obesity tends to run in families. Family genes may play a small contribution but this is not the sole contributor. Some people’s metabolism is slower than others and burn calories more slowly. People today are making unhealthy food choices (like fast food). Around every street corner, there is a fast food restaurant. The windows in the car can be closed, but one can identify the smell the aroma of that “Big Mac”. The bright color of the arches and the two for one combo deal’s serenading victims to the drive thru. We cannot escape this type of advertisement, but we can change. Family habits (like eating in front of the television instead of around the dining room table). Modern day society also has all the comforts of home; technology has gone through the roof.