Facts About Body Weight

• The chance that an obese 5-year-old child remains obese as an adult is approximately 50 percent. This increases to more than 80 percent for an obese adolescent.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 19 percent of children ages 6 to 11 are obese, and 17 percent of children ages 12 to 19 are overweight.
• Overweight children are at risk for other long-term illnesses.These include:
  * Diabetes
  * high blood pressure
  * High cholesterol
  * Fatty liver
  * Asthma
  * Sleep apnea
  * Bone and joint conditions
  * Emotional distress
• Body weight is affected by many things including food intake, activity, genetics and emotional factors.
• According to U.S. surveys, two out of three adults and one out of three children have excess weight.
• A team approach to the treatment of childhood obesity appear to show the most success

Reference: Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)