Results from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES),
using measured heights and weights, indicate that an estimated 17 percent of
children and adolescents ages 2-19 years are overweight. Almost one out of every
five children in the United States is overweight, and this number is continuing to grow.
The percentage of overweight children has more than doubled in the last 30 years.
Children have fewer weight-related health and medical problems than adults, however,
overweight children are at high risk of becoming overweight adolescents and adults, placing
them at risk of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes later in life.
What causes children to become overweight?
Children become overweight for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors,
lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors. Only in
rare cases is being overweight caused by a medical condition such as an endocrine disorder.
A physical exam and some blood tests will rule out the possibility of a medical condition.
Although weight problems run in families, not all children with a family history of obesity
will be overweight. Children whose parents or brothers or sisters are overweight may be at an
increased risk of becoming overweight themselves, but this can be attributed to shared family
behaviors such as eating and activity habits. Genetic factors can increase the likelihood that
a child will be overweight.
A child's total diet and activity level play an important role in determining a
child's weight. Today, many children spend a lot time being inactive. For example, the
average child spends approximately 24 hours each week watching television. As computers
and video games grow further in popularity, this number of hours of inactivity may only increase.
How do I know if my child is overweight?
The best person to determine whether or not a child is overweight is the child’s doctor.
If you think that your child is overweight, it is important to arrange an appointment with
the child's doctor. In determining whether or not a child is overweight, the doctor will
measure the child's weight and height to determine if his or her weight is within a healthy
range. The doctor will also consider the child's age and growth patterns. Assessing
obesity in children can be difficult because children can grow in unpredictable spurts.
For example, it is not unusual for boys to gain weight and they may appear overweight,
but they may grow taller and thus “into the weight” later on.