Obesity: a painful reality for one in six young people in the United States

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) – One in six young American children is struggling with obesity, and minorities are struggling the most, says a new report.

"Obesity in children remains a major public health problem, with significant financial and societal implications," said Jamie Bussel. She is a senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which conducted the study.

"Far too many young people in this country are facing increased risks of diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, all due to an avoidable condition, and Black and Latino youth are still more likely than their peers to do so. facing these problems, "said Bussel added.

If this trend continues, more than half of today 's children will be obese by age 35, say the researchers.

"We need to help all children grow up with a healthy weight so they can lead healthy lives and save billions of dollars in health care," said Bussel.

The analysis of data from 2016 and 2017 revealed that 16% of Americans aged 10 to 17 are obese, the highest rate being that of Mississippi (26%) and the lowest in Utah (8.7%).

Other states with the highest rates of obesity include: West Virginia (20.3%); Kentucky (19.3%); Louisiana (19.1%); and Oklahoma (18.7%). The states with the lowest rates were: New Hampshire (9.8%); Washington (10.1%); Minnesota (10.4%); and Wyoming (10.6%).

Youth belonging to a minority were the most vulnerable to obesity, with the rate for black children being almost twice that of white children (22% versus 12%, respectively). And the rate was nearly 21% for Hispanic children, whereas it was only about 6% for American children of Asian descent.

According to the foundation, childhood obesity could be prevented by: offering nutrition programs to low-income families; establish nutrition standards for school lunches and snacks; provide at least 60 minutes of physical education / activity each school day; stop advertising unhealthy foods and beverages for children; ensure that restaurant meals for children meet nutritional standards; and eliminate sugary drinks from all children's meals in restaurants.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's "State of Obesity" report was published online on October 24.

More information

The US Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion explains how to keep your child under a healthy weight.