Childhood Obesity Statistics

• Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels within the United States. One-third of our nation's young people are overweight or at risk of being overweight.
• A prominent researcher at Yale University said we're looking at the first generation of kids who have a lower life expectancy than their parents.
• During the last three decades, the obesity rate among children ages two to five has nearly tripled from 5 to 14 percent. During the last four decades, the obesity rate for children ages 6 to 11 has jumped nearly fivefold from 4 to 19 percent. For youth ages 12 to 19, the rate has more than tripled from 5 to 17 percent.
• The risk of childhood obesity is greater for African-American, Hispanic, Native American and Asian/Pacific Islander children living in low-income communities.
• Overweight adolescents have up to an 80 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults.
• With the earlier onset of obesity, we can expect to see the earlier onset of related illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
• The cost of direct and indirect medical expenses related to obesity is in the billions. The annual cost of obesity in the United States is estimated at $117 billion. For childhood obesity specifically, the number is $14 billion annually.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT CHILDHOOD OBESITY CAN BE PREVENTED!

Benefits of Keeping Children Active

The benefits of exercise are tremendous! Children who are active on a regular basis experience such benefits as:

• Improved school performance and attendance
• Less likely to become overweight
• More focus in the classroom
• Better sleep habits
• Maintain or decrease in body fat, resulting in leaner bodies
• Health benefits, possibly lowering blood pressure and cholesterol
• Increase in self-esteem and self-confidence
• Positive attitude enabling positive outlook on life
• Able to better handle emotional challenges