subject: Overweight American Children and Adolescents Getting Fatter [print this page] Overweight American Children and Adolescents Getting Fatter
Childhood obesity has been increasing in recent decades at an alarming rate. According to researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and National Institute of Aging (NIA), overweight children and adolescents in the U.S. have been getting fatter over the last decade.
The researchers found in their study published in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity that over time, U.S. children and adolescents had significantly increased measures of adiposity like body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and triceps skinfold thickness (TST). These increases were even more pronounced in black girls and other sex-ethnic groups. The same groups gained more abdominal fat over time, indicated by waist size.
Racial Disparities
The BMIs of black girls also increased more than the BMIs of same-age white girls. Heavier children and adolescents gained more adiposity, particularly waist circumference. The findings were most significant among kids ages 6 to 11. Researchers suggest that U.S. children may be at great obesity-related risk than what was previously thought (based on BMI).
Indications and Recommendations
Waist circumference appears to be a better indicator of future health risks, such as type II diabetes and heart disease later in life. The results of the research are particularly disheartening because they give further credit to the rise in childhood obesity.
Childhood obesity is a major public health issue in the United States which needs to be combated by nutrition education, healthy eating habits, and physical activity. One way to accomplish this? Consider sending your child to a weight loss camp where all healthy philosophies are combined with the exciting elements of a sleep-away camp. It's a great way to not only learn about a healthy lifestyle, but also implement it and be able to continue upon returning home.
