Ebook Report on Overweight and Obesity in Children and Adolescents
In the past several decades, there has been a dramatic rise of overweight and obese individuals in the United States. More than 60% of American adults aged 20 years or more are overweight or obese, with 25% of American adults considered obese. Overweight and obesity are labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. Overweight and obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the “body mass index” (BMI). BMI is used because, for most people, it correlates with their amount of body fat.
Overweight and obesity can lead to significant health problems and increase risk for serious medical conditions including Type II diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and stroke. Being overweight or obese may also be associated with increased risk for certain types of cancer. In addition to physical health, being overweight or obese can affect the mental, emotional, and social health of individuals who suffer from it. Overweight and obesity have consequences on an individual’s overall quality of life.
Obesity also has a large economic impact. It was estimated in 2000 that physical inactivity, obesity, and overweight cost California an estimated $21.7 billion per year ($10.2 billion in direct and indirect medical care, $338 million in workers’ compensation, and $11.2 billion in lost productivity. Six percent of national health care costs were attributed to obesity.
Obesity does not cause problems only in adults. The prevalence of obesity in American children and adolescents aged 6-19 years has risen from 5.0% in the 1960’s to 16.0% in 1999-2002. There is growing concern about the increasing prevalence of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. This increase has applied to children of all ages, sexes, and race/ethnicity, suggesting that overall changes in diet and physical activity are largely responsible for the epidemic. Access to healthy food and opportunities for physical activity are additional factors in the epidemic.
Children and adolescents can not only suffer from the same obesity related health problems as adults, but the development of health conditions early in life can lead to poor outcomes in terms of future health. Overweight children have a 1.5 to 2.0-fold greater risk of becoming overweight adults than normal weight children, with adolescence being the period of greatest risk for developing obesity in adulthood. In other words, overweight and obese children tend to become overweight and obese adults.
Obesity is a multi-factorial condition that is influenced by genetic, environmental, behavioral, psychological, and other factors such as underlying illnesses. However, the majority of obesity can be prevented with a healthful lifestyle that includes appropriate nutrition and physical activity.
Because weight loss in adulthood is difficult to achieve and maintain, prevention of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence is an optimal strategy to prevent overweight and obesity in adulthood, as well as prevention of the development of serious health related consequences. Implementation of prevention methods during childhood may be more effective in reducing the risk for obesity during adolescence.
To develop effective prevention approaches, it is important to understand the prevalence of overweight and obese children and adolescents. This study evaluated the prevalence of overweight and obese children and adolescents in San Mateo County during the 2000-2001 academic year.
Contents
List of Tables And Figures
Executive Summary
Introduction
Methods
Limitations
Results
Recommendations
References
Appendix
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