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More and more children are suffering from obesity
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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American researchers reported that childhood obesity in the country has reached alarming proportions, despite the fact that in recent decades there has been an active fight against obesity. At the Duke Clinical Institute, a group of specialists analyzed data on the health and nutrition of the population, including children, as a result of which scientists came to the conclusion that the percentage of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese increased more than 3 times between 2013 and 2014.
At the same time, the data for previous reporting periods (before 2013) were practically no different from the latest. But at the same time, scientists noted that before 1999 there was no increase in the number of overweight children.
In the period from 2012 to 2014, second-degree obesity was recorded in 6.3% of children, and third-degree obesity in 2.4%. Several years earlier, 5.9% of children suffered from second-degree obesity, and 2.1% from third-degree obesity; there is an obvious increase in the figures.
With more than 4.5 million children and adolescents suffering from severe obesity, more efforts are needed to help children adopt healthier lifestyles.
Obesity is diagnosed after determining the body mass index (BMI), which is determined by the ratio of weight to height (kilograms to meters). The BMI norm is considered to be 18.5 - 24.99, if the BMI is below the norm, it indicates a body mass deficit, and if it is above the norm, it indicates extra kilos.
In recent years, the problem of obesity has become increasingly acute in the United States. Despite the fact that various programs are actively adopted, a healthy lifestyle and nutrition are promoted, doctors have not been able to achieve a positive effect - the number of people with excess weight continues to increase every year.
The BBC conducted its own analysis and found that the largest number of obese people live in Mississippi – more than 30% of the total population, and the largest number of overweight children and teenagers (10-17 years old) live there – more than 40%. After Mississippi come the states of Alabama, West Virginia, and Tennessee.
According to scientists, obesity is not only a consequence of poor nutrition. At the University of Iowa, a group of specialists claim that excessive strictness, shouting and swearing can contribute to the fact that a child will gain extra pounds in the future. Researchers note that such upbringing increases the likelihood of obesity, and such children, already as adults, are not distinguished by good health. According to scientists, the processes occurring in the child's body are irreversible and parents should remember that harsh upbringing will lead to health problems.
To assess the behavior of parents, scientists analyzed records of interactions between different families (in total, scientists studied 450 families). After several years, specialists assessed the health of the children and found out that even mild physical aggression significantly increased the risk of obesity in a child. In adolescence, physical health and BMI disorders were not significant, but in young age, when children were already starting to live independently, they became more and more pronounced.
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