Saturday 12 November 2011

Adolescent Obesity Statistics in America

The news concerning adolescent obesity statistics in America, nationally and globally is startling, and many professionals are sounding the alarm.


The problem of increasing overweight and fatness for children, including teenagers in the United States is a mixture of many factors, including decrease physical activity, bigger portion sizes, plus a growing amount of food consumed away from home, particularly at school.


The solutions lie at home, in the educational institutions, also within your communities. Nutrition standards, personal behavior modification, collective marketing to promote proper exercise, healthy eating, parental support in schools, role modeling, changes in school vending and food services policies are all part of the solution.


It is estimated that more than 75 - 80% of overweight youth will remain overweight into adulthood. Genetics plays a key role in the risk of corpulence, what happens next is upbringing. Both are likely to play a role in overweight and corpulence. Also the number of youth who have a television in their bedroom has risen to 65%; this only promotes more unhealthy behavior, in addition adds to the old couch potato syndrome. Nutrition, fatness, along with physical activity should be concerns for every person at every age.


For adolescents ages (12 - 19) 30.4% are overweight and 15.5% are obese. In 1995 studies showed that 35% of the college students were overweight, for adolescents 18 - 25 years of age 27% were overweight. Research done in year 2000 showed that 31% of the general population of 20 year olds was overweight; today's recent studies show the numbers just continue to climb.


We must not over look adolescent obesity statistics in America when it comes to the serious disease factors. The data for serious health risk are astounding, carrying great risk for premature death for our youth, thus influencing the short and long term prospect for severe health problems such as Coronary Heart Disease, Cancer, Type II Diabetes, plus many other serious health risks.


Improving the health of teenagers is a priority for America. When a youth is in good health it enables them to make the most of their life, all the while laying a sturdy foundation for grown-up life.


Parental knowledge is the key to getting treatment for adolescent obesity statistics. Your child doesn't have to be labeled as obese or fat, your child doesn't even have to be part of the statistics anymore.

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