Childhood Obesity: America's Epidemic

Obesity rates among school-aged children and adolescents have tripled over the past thirty years, fueling skyrocketing health care costs for America's youth.  Trends indicate childhood obesity has reached an epidemic level, affecting the projected life span of the next generation.

Despite the alarming direction, the nation has done little to address the problem.  In fairness, First Lady Michelle Obama has tried to shine a light on the issue, but progress has been non-existent in reversing the decades-old trend that threatens America's future.

As one sign of failure, current data on childhood obesity is elusive. Although a plethora of health organizations have generated research reports, much of the data is outdated.  Conflicting statistics are also rampant, which bedevils policy makers looking for easy solutions.

However, a majority of experts agree that nearly one in three U.S. children is obese.  In some areas of the country, the numbers are higher.  For example, the Rio Grande Valley in Texas holds the dubious distinction of being home to the largest percentage of obese children and adults, 38.5%.

As a result of the crisis, children in the Rio Grande Valley already have a projected life span that is less than their parents.  If trends continue, experts predict obesity nationwide could trim lifespans of the next generation by two to five years, according to the Children's Defense Fund (CDF).

Hispanics, the majority ethnicity in the Rio Grande, are particularly at risk for obesity.  Nearly one-half (47.8 percent) of Mexican-American children and teens, aged 2-19, have been told by a doctor they are overweight, reports a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services research study.

Despite the urgency, it remains difficult to get the medical profession to agree on what constitutes obesity.  The formula for determining obesity involves a mathematical ratio of a person's height and weight, making it impossible to define obesity with a single number or percentage.

Instead of obsessing over a definition, it is more illuminating to focus on the causes.   Here there is general agreement in the medical community that poor eating habits, lack of exercise and family history are major triggers of obesity in children.

Only one in five high school children eat the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day, writes the CDF.  Meanwhile, fast food consumption has increased fivefold among children since 1970. Sugar-sweetened beverages constitute 11 percent of an average child's total calorie intake.

Exhaustive studies show today's children are spending less time in sports or other activities.  Two-thirds of children do not meet the daily recommendation of 60-minutes of moderate activity, according to a study reported by the CDF.

Children and adolescents are also spending more time watching television, playing video games or surfing on the computer.  Recent research cited by CDF showed that children ages 11 to 14 spent nearly 12 hours in front of those various screens.

For a long time, the medical profession has known that family history also plays a significant role in childhood obesity.  The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reported that children with obese parents have an 80 per cent chance of suffering from obesity, too.

Medical costs for obesity are soaring. A 2009 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that "direct and indirect" expenses of obesity totaled $147 billion annually. Obesity is responsible for such health problems as diabetes, high blood pressure and depression.

Solutions for reducing childhood obesity have been predictable failures.  Banning soft drinks in schools, policing fast-food restaurants and building more parks have produced no tangible results. Increased government intervention has not curbed childhood obesity.

The number one defense in the battle against childhood obesity is parents.  They have the responsibility to monitor eating, exercise and lifestyles of their children.  Educated and motivated parents are the last best hope for arresting childhood obesity.