Childhood Obesity Fast Facts
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Significant disparities
Among girls in the period 2007-2008, non-Hispanic black adolescents (29.2%) were significantly more likely to be obese compared with non-Hispanic white adolescents (14.5%). Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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Prevalence of obesity
In 2007-2008, the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among Mexican-American adolescent boys (26.8%) than among non-Hispanic white adolescent boys (16.7%). Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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More increasing childhood obesity rates
Among preschool children aged 2-5, obesity increased from 5.0% to 10.4% between 1976-1980 and 2007-2008 and from 6.5% to 19.6% among those aged 6-11. Among adolescents aged 12-19, obesity increased from 5.0% to 18.1% during the same period. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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Teenage obesity rates sky rocket
Among preschool children aged 2-5, obesity increased from 5.0% to 10.4% between 1976-1980 and 2007-2008 and from 6.5% to 19.6% among those aged 6-11. Among adolescents aged 12-19, obesity increased from 5.0% to 18.1% during the same period. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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Better advice needed
Overall, in 2007, 59.25% of adults with obesity had ever received advice from a health provider to exercise more. Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality |
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Pathway to obesity
Obese adolescents are more likely to become obese adults. Among 16- and 17-year-olds, 80 percent of obese males and 92 percent of obese females will become obese adults, while only 21 percent of peers who are neither obese nor overweight will become obese adults. Source: Journal of Adolescent Health |
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Cost of adult obesity
Adult obesity is estimated to cost the United States as much as $147 billion per year. Source: Health Affairs |
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Cost of childhood obesity
Childhood obesity alone carries a huge price tag-up to $14 billion per year in health care costs to treat kids. Source: Thomson Medstat Research Brief |
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Reduced life expectancies
Unless the childhood obesity epidemic is reversed, experts warn that excess weight could reduce average life expectancy by five years or more over the next several decades. Source: The New England Journal of Medicine |
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More cases of diabetes
Researchers estimate that one out of every three boys and two out of every five girls born in the United States in the year 2000 will be diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetimes. Source: Journal of the American Medical Association |
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Higher cholesterol
Obese and overweight youths are more likely to have key risk factors for cardiovascular disease than their peers. A national study of 12- to 17-year olds found 42.9 percent of obese youths and 22.3 percent of overweight youths had unhealthy cholesterol or triglyceride levels, compared with only 14.2 percent of their normal-weight peers. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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Obesity's link to asthma
Overweight and obesity are associated with a 52 percent increased risk of a new diagnosis of asthma among children and adolescents. Source: American Journal of Epidemiology |
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Risks of adult obesity
Adult obesity increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, stroke, certain kinds of cancer and many other debilitating, even life-threatening diseases. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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More cases of heart disease
Researchers predict that, if current adolescent obesity rates continue, there will be more than 100,000 additional cases of coronary heart disease attributable to obesity by 2035. Source: The New England Journal of Medicine |
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Many fast-food options for students
Many students have easy access to fast-food restaurants and convenience stores when they leave school every afternoon. A national survey found that 37.1 percent of middle and high schools have at least one fast-food restaurant, and 33 percent have at least one convenience store within walking distance. Source: Health & Place |
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Junk food in schools
In 2006, more than half of high school students could purchase candy, baked goods, salty snacks, soda and sports drinks at school stores, snack bars and vending machines. Source: The Journal of School Health |
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Not enough P.E.
Fewer than 4 percent of elementary schools provide daily physical education or its recommended equivalent (150 minutes per week) to all students for the full school year. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |