Healthier Children - Obesity & Inactivity

Better Nutrition | Obesity & Inactivity | Wellness Policies & Programs

It's gone beyond just being a "problem." Public health practitioners are now telling us we've got an "obesity epidemic" on our hands. It affects both boys and girls and has occurred in all age, race, and ethnic groups throughout the United States.

Eating More and Moving Less
The increase in the number of obese children is likely the result of children and youth eating more calories than they are using through daily physical activity. It's all about energy: weight gain results when the energy expended (through walking, biking, play) is consistently less than the energy intake over time (meals and snacks).

A Number of Factors
The rise in childhood obesity is due to a number of factors that influence eating and physical activity. These factors include:

- urban and suburban designs that discourage walking and other physical activities;
- pressures on families to minimize food costs and preparation time, resulting in frequent meals using convenience foods high in calories and fat;
- reduced access in some communities to fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods;
- fewer opportunities for physical activity at school and after school, as well as reduced walking or biking to and from school;
- less time spent playing outdoors replaced with more "screen time:" television, computers, and video games.

Immediate Risks to a Child's Health
In a society that stigmatizes obesity, overweight youngsters can develop low self-esteem. This can carry over into problems at school or the ability to make friends.

From a health standpoint, the stakes are high. In one recent study, approximately 60 percent of obese children aged 5 to 10 years had at least one cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor, such as elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, or blood pressure. And 25 percent of the obese children in this study had two or more risk CVD risk factors.

Which states are doing the best to fight the childhood obesity problem? One source, Child Magazine, says Connecticut is overall the healthiest state in which to raise a child. Learn more about this study and see how your state is ranked.

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Resources

- Childhood Obesity in the United States: Facts and Figures (Institute of Medicine) | PDF 120KB
- Article: Growing Pains (from the National Education Association) | PDF 128KB
- Active Facts: Getting Youth Involved In Planning | PDF 250KB

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