Nearly 1 in 5 Children and Teens Are Obese
Sara G. Miller
The report, released today (Aug. 25) by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows that 17.5 percent of children and adolescents ages 3 to 19 are now obese. The overall obesity rate may not have changed, but that misses what’s happening in certain populations — the rate is actually dropping in some groups, but going up in others, Goran told Live Science. A major factor contributing to the high prevalence of childhood obesity is sugar in people’s diets. In low-income populations especially, sugary foods tend to be introduced into children’s diets very early in their lives, Goran said. Studies have shown that children who are obese at a young age are significantly more likely to become obese adults according to the report.