Similar to diabetes, obesity has reached epidemic levels in the United States, given that over two-thirds of adults are either overweight or obese. Even more worrisome is the rapid increase in childhood obesity and teenage obesity, which in 40 years has increased by four times.
Recent statistics suggest that since 1994, overweight in youths has not leveled off or decreased, and is increasing to even higher levels. The data for adolescents is of notable concern for two reasons:
Recent statistics suggest that since 1994, overweight in youths has not leveled off or decreased, and is increasing to even higher levels. The data for adolescents is of notable concern for two reasons:
- The increasing number of health conditions being seen in children. Type 2 diabetes was once rare in American children; now, it accounts for 8 to 45 percent of newly diagnosed diabetes cases in children and adolescents. The number of children developing high blood pressure and high cholesterol is also increasing at alarming rates. Asthma, liver disease, and sleep apnea are also more common in overweight children.
- The risk for adult obesity. Over 70 percent of overweight adolescents will become overweight or obese adults.
The problem of childhood obesity in the United States has grown considerably in recent years. Between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese. Obesity is among the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat.
Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year. The annual cost to society for obesity is estimated at nearly $100 billion. Overweight children are much more likely to become overweight adults unless they adopt and maintain healthier patterns of eating and exercise.
Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year. The annual cost to society for obesity is estimated at nearly $100 billion. Overweight children are much more likely to become overweight adults unless they adopt and maintain healthier patterns of eating and exercise.
What is obesity?
A few extra pounds do not suggest obesity. However they may indicate a tendency to gain weight easily and a need for changes in diet and/or exercise.
A few extra pounds do not suggest obesity. However they may indicate a tendency to gain weight easily and a need for changes in diet and/or exercise.
Generally, a child is not considered obese until the weight is at least 10 percent higher than what is recommended for the height and body type. Obesity most commonly begins in childhood between the ages of 5 and 6, and during adolescence. Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult.
What causes obesity?
The causes of obesity are complex and include genetic, biological, behavioral and cultural factors. Basically, obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body burns up. If one parent is obese, there is a 50 percent chance that the children will also be obese. However, when both parents are obese, the children have an 80 percent chance of being obese.
The causes of obesity are complex and include genetic, biological, behavioral and cultural factors. Basically, obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body burns up. If one parent is obese, there is a 50 percent chance that the children will also be obese. However, when both parents are obese, the children have an 80 percent chance of being obese.
Although certain medical disorders can cause obesity, less than 1 percent of all obesity is caused by physical problems. Obesity in childhood and adolescence can be related to:
- poor eating habits
- overeating or binging
- lack of exercise (i.e., couch potato kids)
- family history of obesity
- medical illnesses (endocrine, neurological problems)
- medications (steroids, some psychiatric medications)
- stressful life events or changes (separations, divorce, moves, deaths, abuse)
- family and peer problems
- low self-esteem
- depression or other emotional problems
- impact of social "isms"
What are the risks and complications of obesity?
There are many risks and complications with obesity. Physical consequences include:
There are many risks and complications with obesity. Physical consequences include:
- increased risk of heart disease
- high blood pressure
- diabetes
- breathing problems
- trouble sleeping
- frequent illnesses
Child and adolescent obesity is also associated with increased risk of emotional problems. Teens with weight problems tend to have much lower self-esteem and be less popular with their peers. Depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder can also occur.
How can obesity be managed and treated?
Obese children need a thorough medical evaluation by a pediatrician or family physician to consider the possibility of a physical cause. In the absence of a physical disorder, the only way to lose weight is to introduce nutritious foods, reduce the number of "junk" calories, and to increase the child's or adolescent's level of physical activity.
Obese children need a thorough medical evaluation by a pediatrician or family physician to consider the possibility of a physical cause. In the absence of a physical disorder, the only way to lose weight is to introduce nutritious foods, reduce the number of "junk" calories, and to increase the child's or adolescent's level of physical activity.
Lasting weight loss can only occur when there is self-motivation. Since obesity often affects more than one family member, making healthy eating and regular exercise a family activity can improve the chances of successful weight control for the child or adolescent.
Ways to manage obesity in children and adolescents include:
- education about superior nutrition
- start a weight-management program, i.e. the Death to Obesity® program
- change eating habits (eat slowly, develop a routine)
- plan meals and make better food selections (eat less fatty foods, avoid junk and fast foods)
- control portions and consume less calories
- increase physical activity (especially walking) and have a more active lifestyle
- know what your child eats at school
- eat meals as a family instead of while watching television or at the computer
- do not use food as a reward
- limit snacking
- attend a support group (e.g., Overeaters Anonymous)
Obesity frequently becomes a lifelong issue. The reason most obese adolescents gain back their lost pounds is that after they have reached their goal, they go back to their old habits of eating and exercising. An obese adolescent must therefore learn to eat and enjoy healthy foods in moderate amounts and to exercise regularly to maintain the desired weight. Parents of an obese child can improve their child's self esteem by emphasizing the child's strengths and positive qualities rather than just focusing on their weight problem.
When a child or adolescent with obesity also has emotional problems, a child and adolescent psychiatrist can work with the child's family physician to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. Such a plan would include reasonable weight loss goals, dietary and physical activity management, behavior modification, and family involvement.
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Black Children and Obesity
Some statistics:
Why is obesity a problem in the U.S.?
It's a problem because parents are not looking at the diets that they have for their children. Children eat a great many of these fast foods as well as a lot of fried foods. The media often has good advertising and makes people follow the advertising.
What contributes to obesity among African-Americans?The lack of knowledge about superior nutrition, lifestyle choices, and family environment are the key contributors. Plus many blacks eat soul food with a lot of grease, not realizing that they can create good-tasting food with herbs and other seasonings. In addition, many parents unwillingly allow their children to eat things that are over and above what they should have and consume more than they need.
Note: Refer to the Why Black People Are Droppin' Like Flies PDF to better understand the impacts of diabetes and obesity on African-Americans.
Racial and Ethnic Differentials in Overweight and Obese Children
Based upon several studies, it appears that there are racial and ethnic differences when it comes to the obesity problem. The following are extracts from those studies.
In one particular study, White mothers were older, more educated, and more likely to be married than were Black or Hispanic mothers. More than one third of Hispanic mothers were immigrants. Whites were most likely to have breast-fed their child for 6 months or more, at 30%; rates were 13% and 21% among Blacks and Hispanics, respectively.
In this same study, White mothers were most likely to have smoked during pregnancy, with more than one fourth reporting that they had done so. Twenty-one percent of Black mothers reported smoking during pregnancy, and the prevalence of smoking among Hispanics was low, at just 9%. There was a high prevalence of overweight and obesity (67%) among the mothers in our sample; Black mothers were most likely to be obese (46%), followed by Hispanic mothers (40%). Hispanic mothers reported the most parental stress.
In terms of food and nutrition factors, regular shopping at stores other than supermarkets was relatively rare, with only 4% of White mothers, 3% of Black mothers, and 6% of Hispanic mothers having done so. Thirty-seven percent of Black mothers had to walk or take a bus or taxi to their food store of choice, in comparison with 28% of Hispanic mothers and only 9% of White mothers. There was a high prevalence of food insecurity in the sample, with 12% of White mothers, 19% of Black mothers, and 21% of Hispanic mothers responding yes to 3 or more insecurity items. Interestingly, there were large ethnic disparities in whether children took a bottle to bed; 14% of Hispanic children did so, as compared with only 6% of White children and 4% of Black children.
Levels of television watching in the sample were high, with 59% of children overall watching between 2 and 4 hours of television daily and another 22% watching 5 or more hours. White children were less likely to watch 5 or more hours per day than were Hispanic children, whereas Black children were more likely to do so.
Public outings were common in the sample, with 62% of children having at least 1 outing per week. However, Black children had fewer outings per week than did either White or Hispanic children. In terms of child care, 59% of the children were cared for in an in-home day care setting or a center day care setting; Black children were more likely than were Hispanic children to be in day care.
Hispanic children who were aged 3 years were nearly twice as likely as White and Black children of the same age to be overweight. In comparison with children in the normal birth-weight category, children in the low birth-weight category had lower odds of overweight or obesity at age 3 years, whereas children in the high birth-weight category had more than twice the odds of overweight or obesity.
Children whose mothers did not regularly shop at a grocery store were at increased odds of being overweight or obese. In addition, taking a bottle to bed nearly doubled the odds of overweight and obesity at age 3 years. None of the children's exercise variables significantly predicted overweight or obesity.
Children with obese mothers had nearly twice the odds of being overweight or obese than did children with normal-weight mothers. However, having an overweight but not obese mother did not significantly affect overweight or obesity odds. The addition of mother's weight status decreased the White-Hispanic difference slightly, although Blacks and Whites were still about half as likely as Hispanics to be overweight or obese.
Mothers' weight status had a significant impact on children's likelihood of being overweight or obese; 42% of White children with obese mothers were themselves overweight or obese, as compared with 36% of Black children and 56% of Hispanic children (corresponding percentages for children with normal-weight mothers were 26%, 25%, and 40%). Clearly, maternal weight status is a key determinant (through household nutrition, exercise, or genetic factors) of whether or not children are obese at the age of 3 years.
Black Children and Obesity
Some statistics:
- African American children between ages 6-17 were 1.3 times as likely to be overweight than Non-Hispanic Whites.
- African Americans are 50% less likely to engage in active physical activity as Non-Hispanic Whites.
- Deaths from heart disease and stroke are almost twice the rate for African Americans as compared to Whites.
- Among Hispanics, boys are more likely to be obese than girls, while black girls are more likely to be obese than black boys.
- An obese child has a 70% chance in becoming an obese adult.
Why is obesity a problem in the U.S.?
It's a problem because parents are not looking at the diets that they have for their children. Children eat a great many of these fast foods as well as a lot of fried foods. The media often has good advertising and makes people follow the advertising.
What contributes to obesity among African-Americans?The lack of knowledge about superior nutrition, lifestyle choices, and family environment are the key contributors. Plus many blacks eat soul food with a lot of grease, not realizing that they can create good-tasting food with herbs and other seasonings. In addition, many parents unwillingly allow their children to eat things that are over and above what they should have and consume more than they need.
Note: Refer to the Why Black People Are Droppin' Like Flies PDF to better understand the impacts of diabetes and obesity on African-Americans.
Racial and Ethnic Differentials in Overweight and Obese Children
Based upon several studies, it appears that there are racial and ethnic differences when it comes to the obesity problem. The following are extracts from those studies.
In one particular study, White mothers were older, more educated, and more likely to be married than were Black or Hispanic mothers. More than one third of Hispanic mothers were immigrants. Whites were most likely to have breast-fed their child for 6 months or more, at 30%; rates were 13% and 21% among Blacks and Hispanics, respectively.
In this same study, White mothers were most likely to have smoked during pregnancy, with more than one fourth reporting that they had done so. Twenty-one percent of Black mothers reported smoking during pregnancy, and the prevalence of smoking among Hispanics was low, at just 9%. There was a high prevalence of overweight and obesity (67%) among the mothers in our sample; Black mothers were most likely to be obese (46%), followed by Hispanic mothers (40%). Hispanic mothers reported the most parental stress.
In terms of food and nutrition factors, regular shopping at stores other than supermarkets was relatively rare, with only 4% of White mothers, 3% of Black mothers, and 6% of Hispanic mothers having done so. Thirty-seven percent of Black mothers had to walk or take a bus or taxi to their food store of choice, in comparison with 28% of Hispanic mothers and only 9% of White mothers. There was a high prevalence of food insecurity in the sample, with 12% of White mothers, 19% of Black mothers, and 21% of Hispanic mothers responding yes to 3 or more insecurity items. Interestingly, there were large ethnic disparities in whether children took a bottle to bed; 14% of Hispanic children did so, as compared with only 6% of White children and 4% of Black children.
Levels of television watching in the sample were high, with 59% of children overall watching between 2 and 4 hours of television daily and another 22% watching 5 or more hours. White children were less likely to watch 5 or more hours per day than were Hispanic children, whereas Black children were more likely to do so.
Public outings were common in the sample, with 62% of children having at least 1 outing per week. However, Black children had fewer outings per week than did either White or Hispanic children. In terms of child care, 59% of the children were cared for in an in-home day care setting or a center day care setting; Black children were more likely than were Hispanic children to be in day care.
Hispanic children who were aged 3 years were nearly twice as likely as White and Black children of the same age to be overweight. In comparison with children in the normal birth-weight category, children in the low birth-weight category had lower odds of overweight or obesity at age 3 years, whereas children in the high birth-weight category had more than twice the odds of overweight or obesity.
Children whose mothers did not regularly shop at a grocery store were at increased odds of being overweight or obese. In addition, taking a bottle to bed nearly doubled the odds of overweight and obesity at age 3 years. None of the children's exercise variables significantly predicted overweight or obesity.
Children with obese mothers had nearly twice the odds of being overweight or obese than did children with normal-weight mothers. However, having an overweight but not obese mother did not significantly affect overweight or obesity odds. The addition of mother's weight status decreased the White-Hispanic difference slightly, although Blacks and Whites were still about half as likely as Hispanics to be overweight or obese.
Mothers' weight status had a significant impact on children's likelihood of being overweight or obese; 42% of White children with obese mothers were themselves overweight or obese, as compared with 36% of Black children and 56% of Hispanic children (corresponding percentages for children with normal-weight mothers were 26%, 25%, and 40%). Clearly, maternal weight status is a key determinant (through household nutrition, exercise, or genetic factors) of whether or not children are obese at the age of 3 years.
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