Obesity and Weight Management

Many Reasons for Childhood Obesity

Why is there such an explosion of childhood obesity these days?

Research has shown what common sense might tell you: There are a lot of reasons why so many children can be classified as obese today.

According to the American Obesity Association, approximately 30.3% of children ages 6 through 11 are overweight, and more than 15 percent are obese. That's up from 11 percent in 1988-1994 and around 4 percent in 1971-1974. Type II diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, orthopedic complications and other physical problems can result.

Why is this happening? Researchers have identified many risk factors. If parents are overweight or obese, children are more likely to be, too. Genetics and common eating habits are both likely causes. As with adults, a poor diet and limited amount of physical activity often add up to extra weight.

Some researchers have pointed out changes in schools' food offerings as one reason for larger school kids. Students often have unlimited access to high-calorie, low-nutrition foods as a la carte items in the cafeteria line and in vending machines. In addition, required courses in physical education also have declined, decreasing the amount of activity and exercise students have as part of their school day.

Also, some research indicates that children in families who do not eat together at the dinner table are more likely to be overweight than those who do. Paying attention to what children eat seems to help.

Another problem: Eating too many chips, candy bars and other high-calorie snacks. Sugary soft drinks also fall into this category. In fact, 12 percent of preschool-age children, 33 percent of school-age children, and more than 50 percent of adolescents average 9 ounces of soft drinks or more a day. Increased soft drink consumption has led to decreased intake of nutrient dense beverages such as milk.

Other reasons:

An inability to determine proper portion sizes.
Eating due to stress, boredom or other reasons besides hunger.
Eating too much fast food.
Not participating in enough activity or exercise.

Dietitians recommend that parents, educators and health-care providers work together to make healthful foods more available and decrease access to foods with little nutritional value. Parents can help by eating together as a family at the dinner table at regular times as often as possible, paying attention to what their children eat, and encouraging children to engage in an hour of physical activity daily.

For More Information:

Age Appropriate Diet for Children

Obesity/Weight Management

This article originally appeared in Chow Line (12/29/02), a service of Ohio State University Extension and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, and was adapted for use on NetWellness with permission, 2006.

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Last Reviewed: Jan 06, 2006

Jaime Ackerman Foster, MPH, RD, LD
Extension Nutrition Associate
Department of Human Nutrition
College of Education and Human Ecology
The Ohio State University