Childhood Obesity: Shifts in Society
The ratio of a person’s weight to height is known as body mass index, or BMI. Children with a BMI at or higher than the 95th percentile (for their age) are considered obese. Children with a BMI at or higher than the 85th percentile are considered overweight. Today, almost 20 percent of kids ages 6 to 19 are overweight.
What are the causes of childhood obesity? Experts blame shifts in our society. (Watch Aaron’s story.) What used to be considered overweight we now see as average. We eat more and more often on the run. We drive more and walk less, and our kids are learning by example (Watch Alejandra’s and Akeila’s story). There’s still plenty of time to change our habits and reverse these trends.
Featured Contributors: American Heart Association, Office of the Surgeon General, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services
Topic Videos: Childhood Obesity
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What Is It? What used to be considered overweight is now considered average by many Americans. Watch -
Aaron’s Story With encouragement from his family and a desire to live better, he put down the video controller and picked up his sneakers. Watch -
Why Does It Matter? The dangers of childhood obesity are many, and overweight kids face serious health issues. Watch -
Alejandra’s Story Her family loved cooking and eating together. Then, they realized you can eat right and still eat well. Watch -
What Can I Do About It? Whether your child is overweight or not, start teaching them about eating right and living well. Watch -
Austin’s Story He and his family set out to change their ways. Together, they made healthy eating and exercising a family habit. Watch -
Akeila’s Story She decided to make a change, so she got active and started eating better. Watch -
Maya’s Story She found out she was at risk. So she and her family started eating healthy, without making sacrifices. Watch
