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Due to the rising prevalence of obesity in children and its many adverse health effects it is being recognized as a serious public health concern. [1] The term overweight rather than obese is often used when discussing childhood obesity, as it is less stigmatizing, although the term overweight can also refer to a different BMI category. [2]
Surgery for severe obesity is associated with long-term weight loss and decreased overall mortality. One study found a weight loss of between 14% and 25% (depending on the type of procedure performed) at 10 years, and a 29% reduction in all cause mortality when compared to standard weight loss measures. [ 8 ]
Physical inactivity leads to less energy expenditure and is a factor that impacts obesity rates in both children and adults. [17] Physical inactivity has become a worldwide concern since inactivity also elevates the risk of heart disease. [16]
The healthy BMI range varies with the age and sex of the child. Obesity in children and adolescents is defined as a BMI greater than the 95th percentile. [276] The reference data that these percentiles are based on is from 1963 to 1994 and thus has not been affected by the recent increases in rates of obesity. [277]
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 80 percent of adults and about one-third of children now meet the clinical definition of overweight or obese. More Americans live with “extreme obesity“ than with breast cancer, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and HIV put together.
Childhood obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 96th percentile for children of the same age and sex. It can cause a variety of health problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, breathing problems, sleeping problems, and joint problems later in life. [ 1 ]
Childhood malnutrition is common and contributes to the global burden of disease. [105] Childhood is a particularly important time to achieve good nutrition status, because poor nutrition has the capability to lock a child in a vicious cycle of disease susceptibility and recurring sickness, which threatens cognitive and social development. [2]
Childhood obesity in the United States, has been a serious problem among children and adolescents, and can cause serious health problems among our youth. According to the CDC, as of 2015–2016, in the United States, 18.5% of children and adolescents have obesity, which affects approximately 13.7 million children and adolescents.