Fact Sheet

February 19, 2019

Childhood Obesity and Well-Being

Childhood obesity is a growing concern as new technologies take up time and energy and as fast-
food chains expand to every neighborhood corner. Children cannot control what they are fed or
what they do in their free time, and it is taking a toll on their development at devastating rates.

An overview of childhood obesity and well-being:

• Childhood obesity has immediate and long-term effects on physical, social, and emotional
health.
• Consuming more energy from foods and beverages than the body needs for healthy
functioning, growth and physical activity can lead to weight gain.
• 18.5% of children aged 2-19 years old were affected with obesity in 2018.
• The United States has the largest number of obese children in the world compared to their
population.
• Childhood obesity rates have risen 10-fold since the 1970s.

What is childhood obesity and well-being?

• Doctors use these factors to determine whether a child is obese: a combination of age,
weight, height, and BMI.
• Children with obesity are bullied and teased more than their normal-weight peers and are
more likely to suffer from social isolation, depression and low self-esteem.

Effects of childhood obesity on well-being:

• Obese children who carry the weight into adulthood are at higher risk of developing heart
disease, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and many types of cancer.
• Childhood obesity leads to other chronic conditions, including asthma, sleep apnea, bone
and joint problems and heart disease.

Tips overcoming childhood obesity:

• Eat more fruit, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.
• Exercise, even moderately, for at least 30 minutes a day.
• Cut down your consumption of fatty and sugary foods.
• Use vegetable-based oils rather than animal-based fats.
•