Public health campaigns aimed at curbing childhood obesity aren’t stopping the problem. In fact, it’s getting worse.
• The share of American children between 2 and 19 years old who are obese grew from 14 percent in 1999 to 18.5 percent in 2016.
• There was also a significant jump in obesity among the youngest group of children, aged 2 to 5 years old, with 14 percent of that age group now considered obese.
That’s according to a recently published study in the journal Pediatrics. The researchers, who studied data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination survey, found there had been no progress in stopping childhood obesity, despite campaigns like former First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative.
“Despite intense clinical and public health focus on obesity and weight-related behaviors during the past decade, obesity prevalence remains high,” the researchers noted. They said this was disappointing given other reports had suggested obesity among children was decreasing in recent years.
“Obesity is one of the biggest drivers of preventable chronic diseases and health care costs in the US,” according to The State of Obesity public health project. Estimates for these costs range from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion per year.
Childhood obesity is part of a global problem
They are more likely grow to become obese adults. The US is just second behind Mexico for being the most obese country in the world, and the obesity rate is expected to be 50 percent by 2030 in the US, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
• More than 11 times as many children are likely to suffer from obesity around the world now than four decades ago, according to medical journal The Lancet.
• The number of obese girls rose to 50 million in 2015 versus 5 million in 1975 and the number of boys with obesity rose to 74 million from 6 million. Another 213 million children were overweight.
What’s causing childhood obesity?
Quite a few things, studies suggest, and some of them are contained in products marketed to children and young people.
• Some 16 percent of kids’ diets’ total calories come from added sugar, according to the Mayo Clinic. Those added sugars are found in breakfast cereals, soda, ketchup and other sweetened goods.
• Children don’t eat as many fruits and vegetables as they should and, instead, indulge in bread, pizza, pasta, soda and cold cuts, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
How do you stop bad habits early?
To prevent childhood obesity, parents and children should focus on healthy eating habits, such as swapping out French fries and chips for fruits and vegetables, and staying active, including going for walks or playing sports.
• The average number of hours children spend watching television has grown to more than eight hours a day, which means less time is spent playing outside or exercising.
• An inactive childhood could result in insulin resistance, which could lead to weight gain and other medical issues like diabetes.
Parents and children can discuss how staying physically active can reduce stress and anxiety, strengthen bones and decrease blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. Quiet time for homework and reading is important, but screen time should be reduced to no more than two hours a day and replaced with quality time with family members and friends.