Obesity Rates Continue to Climb Among U.S. Kids, Teens
MONDAY, July 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- For the first time ever, more than 1 in 5 American kids is obese.
From 2011 to 2012 and again from 2017 to 2020, rates of obesity rose for kids between 2 and 5 years of age as well as 12- to 19-year-olds, a new analysis of nationwide health survey data shows. And the uptick was true for U.S. kids of every race and ethnic background, according to study leader Amanda Staiano.
"The proportion of kids having obesity increased from 18% in the 2011 cycle to 22% in the 2020 cycle," said Staiano, director of the pediatric obesity and health behavior lab at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge.
"What is even more alarming is these data were all collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and other data published recently show that kids are gaining even more weight because of restrictions to their diet and activity during the pandemic," she said.
Staiano fears the numbers will be even worse in the next National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Obesity has significant health consequences, she said, from some cancers to diabetes, heart disease, asthma, joint problems, anxiety and depression.
"Kids are bearing the cost of this disease, and adults are paying for the added health care costs of kids growing up with diseases and needing treatment," Staiano said. "Kids who aren't eating nutritious diets tend to perform worse in school, and so obesity affects every area of a child's life."
For the study, she and her Pennington Center colleague Kathy Hu analyzed data on nearly 15,000 U.S. children and teens who took part in the nationwide health and nutrition survey in 2011-2012, 2013-2014, 2015-2016 and 2017-2020.
Among 2- to 19-year-olds, obesity surged from 17.7% between 2011 and 2012 to 21.5% in the 2017-2020 survey.
During the decade-long span, obesity rates among boys rose from 18% to 21.4%, and among girls from 17% to 21.6%.
While obesity rates rose significantly in preschoolers and teens, they did not among 6- to 11-year-olds.
Overall, obesity rates for kids 2 to 19 rose from 21.8% to 27% among Mexican-Americans; from 19.5% to 23.8% among Black youngsters, and from 15% to 18.4% among white kids, Staiano and Hu found.
To help curb the rising tide of obesity, Staiano said doctors should screen for and monitor obesity and related diseases that affect the heart, lungs and metabolism. But, she added, solving the problem will be the work of American society as a whole.
"Health care providers should provide counseling and evidence-based programs to support families to adopt a healthier lifestyle," Staiano said. "Insurance companies should follow the Affordable Care Act to pay for these weight management services as a way to prevent debilitating and costly disease."
Prevention and early treatment are critical so kids gain a healthy amount of weight, she said.
"Parents and kids should talk to their doctors and school nurses to develop a healthy eating and activity plan that will work for their family," Staiano said.
"A lot of weight gain occurs when kids are off of school during the summertime, so community leaders and government officials should advocate for feeding programs to provide healthy meals during this out-of-school time and to provide camps and programs with structured activity during the summer," she said.
Staiano said investments are needed in lifestyle and behavior weight management programs, medications, and metabolic and bariatric surgery options for kids to slow down their weight gain or help them lose weight in a safe and sustainable way.
"Civic leaders should incentivize grocery stores and corner stores with healthy food options to locate in food deserts and also ensure walking trails and public parks and playgrounds are safe and well maintained," she added.
Dr. David Katz, a specialist in preventive and lifestyle medicine and president of the True Health Initiative in Tulsa, Okla., reviewed the findings.
He said the losing battle against childhood obesity in America has been waged for more than three decades.
"Stated bluntly, this a national disgrace, because this problem is one with dire consequences that we could fix any time we genuinely committed to doing so," Katz said.
Obesity rises relentlessly because whole industries profit from it, he pointed out.
"The problem worsens because far more resources are invested in propagating the problem than in fixing it," Katz said. "We know, for instance, that we have a food supply of willfully addictive junk food designed to maximize eating, yet make futile recommendations for 'portion control' without addressing the root cause."
These new data show that obesity gets worse not mysteriously, but because our society has never made any serious effort to fix it, Katz said.
"We would be well advised to treat obesity in our children as we treat drowning -- for, after all, they are drowning in the hyper-palatable calories of ultra-processed foods, and in exertion-sparing technologies that proliferate endlessly," he said.
What's needed, Katz said, is mandatory training about the dangers of overeating and not exercising, as well as widespread reminders about healthy eating. He likened these to the many steps required to keep kids safe around water.
"After 30 years of personal devotion to the cause, I wait to see that day dawn for me, and for all other parents," Katz said.
The findings were published online July 25 in JAMA Pediatrics.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about childhood obesity.
SOURCES: Amanda Staiano, PhD, director, pediatric obesity and health behavior, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge; David Katz, MD, MPH, specialist, preventive and lifestyle medicine, and president, True Health Initiative, Tulsa, Okla.; JAMA Pediatrics, July 25, 2022, online
Kiwango cha Uzito wa Kiasi cha juu cha Kuongezeka Katika Marekani Watoto, Vijana Jumatatu, Julai 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) - Kwa mara ya kwanza, zaidi ya 1 katika watoto 5 wa Amerika ni wanene. Kuanzia mwaka 2011 hadi 2012, na tena kutoka 2017 hadi 2020, viwango vya unene wa kupita kiasi viliongezeka kwa watoto kati ya miaka 2 na 5, na vilevile kwa watu wa miaka 12 hadi 19, uchambuzi mpya wa data ya uchunguzi wa afya ya kitaifa unaonyesha. Utafiti huo ulifanyika kwa watoto wa kila kabila, kulingana na Amanda Staiano, kiongozi wa utafiti huo. "Wakati huo huo, idadi ya watoto wenye ugonjwa wa kunenepa kupita kiasi iliongezeka kutoka asilimia 18 katika mzunguko wa 2011 hadi asilimia 22 katika mzunguko wa 2020,"" alisema Staiano, mkurugenzi wa maabara ya unene wa watoto na tabia ya afya katika Kituo cha Utafiti wa Biomedical cha Pennington cha Chuo Kikuu cha Jimbo la Louisiana huko Baton Rouge." "Kile kinachotisha zaidi ni kwamba data hizi zote zilikusanywa kabla ya janga la COVID-19 na data nyingine zilizochapishwa hivi karibuni zinaonyesha kuwa watoto wanapata uzito zaidi kwa sababu ya vizuizi vya lishe na shughuli zao wakati wa janga hilo. """ Staiano anaogopa idadi hiyo itakuwa mbaya zaidi katika Uchunguzi wa Kitaifa wa Afya na Chakula. "Kulingana na ripoti hiyo, ""unene kupita kiasi una athari kubwa kwa afya, kuanzia aina fulani za kansa hadi ugonjwa wa kisukari, magonjwa ya moyo, pumu, matatizo ya viungo, wasiwasi na unyogovu.""" "Wanafunzi wanawajibika kwa gharama za ugonjwa huu, na watu wazima wanalipa gharama za ziada za huduma za afya za watoto wanaokua na magonjwa na wanahitaji matibabu, ""Staiano alisema." "Watoto ambao hawawezi kula vyakula vyenye lishe wana tabia ya kufanya vibaya zaidi shuleni, na hivyo kunenepa kupita kiasi huathiri kila sehemu ya maisha ya mtoto.""" Katika utafiti huo, yeye na mwenzake wa Kituo cha Pennington Kathy Hu walichambua data ya karibu watoto na matineja 15,000 wa Marekani ambao walishiriki katika uchunguzi wa afya na lishe ya kitaifa mnamo 2011-2012, 2013-2014, 2015-2016 na 2017. Katika vijana wa miaka 2 hadi 19, upungufu wa uzito uliongezeka kutoka 17.7% kati ya 2011 na 2012 hadi 21.5% katika uchunguzi wa 2017-2020. Katika kipindi cha miaka kumi, viwango vya unene wa juu kati ya wavulana viliongezeka kutoka asilimia 18 hadi asilimia 21,4 na kati ya wasichana kutoka asilimia 17 hadi asilimia 21. Ingawa viwango vya unene wa kupita kiasi viliongezeka sana katika watoto wa kabla ya shule na matineja, havikuongezeka miongoni mwa watoto wa miaka 6 hadi 11. Kwa ujumla, viwango vya unene wa watoto wa miaka 2 hadi 19 viliongezeka kutoka 21.8% hadi 27% kati ya Wamarekani wa Mexico; kutoka 19.5% hadi 23.8% kati ya vijana weusi, na kutoka 15% hadi 18.4% kati ya watoto weupe. Ili kusaidia kuzuia kuongezeka kwa uzalishaji wa mafuta, Staiano alisema madaktari wanapaswa kuchunguza na kufuatilia uzalishaji wa mafuta na magonjwa yanayohusiana ambayo huathiri moyo, mapafu na kimetaboliki. Lakini, aliongeza, kutatua tatizo hilo itakuwa kazi ya jamii ya Marekani kwa ujumla. "Watoa huduma za afya wanapaswa kutoa ushauri na programu zinazotegemea uthibitisho ili kusaidia familia kupitisha mtindo wa maisha wenye afya", Staiano alisema. "Kampuni za bima zinapaswa kufuata Sheria ya Huduma ya Affordable ili kulipa huduma hizi za udhibiti wa uzito kama njia ya kuzuia ugonjwa wenye kudhoofisha na wa gharama kubwa". "Uzuiaji na matibabu ya mapema ni muhimu ili watoto wapate uzito wa kutosha,"" alisema." "Wazazi na watoto wanapaswa kuzungumza na madaktari wao na wauguzi wa shule ili kuendeleza chakula na mpango wa shughuli za afya ambazo zitafanya kazi kwa familia yao, ""Staiano alisema." "Kuna ongezeko kubwa la uzito wakati watoto hawaendi shule wakati wa majira ya joto, kwa hivyo viongozi wa jamii na maafisa wa serikali wanapaswa kutetea programu za kulisha ili kutoa chakula kizuri wakati huu wa nje ya shule na kutoa kambi na programu na shughuli za muundo wakati wa majira ya joto. """ Staiano alisema uwekezaji unahitajika katika mipango ya usimamizi wa uzito wa mtindo wa maisha na tabia, dawa, na chaguzi za upasuaji wa metabolic na bariatric kwa watoto kupunguza uzito wao au kuwasaidia kupoteza uzito kwa njia salama na endelevu. "Viongozi wa raia wanapaswa kuhamasisha maduka ya vyakula na maduka ya kona na chaguzi za chakula cha afya ili kugundua katika jangwa la chakula na pia kuhakikisha njia za kutembea na mbuga za umma na viwanja vya michezo ni salama na vinadumishwa vizuri. """ David Katz, mtaalamu wa dawa za kuzuia na mtindo wa maisha na rais wa True Health Initiative huko Tulsa, Oklahoma, aliangalia matokeo hayo. """Pigano dhidi ya unene wa watoto nchini Marekani limekuwa likipigwa kwa zaidi ya miongo mitatu." "Kwa kusema wazi, hii ni aibu ya kitaifa, kwa sababu tatizo hili ni moja na matokeo mabaya ambayo tunaweza kurekebisha wakati wowote sisi kweli kujitolea kufanya hivyo, ""Katz alisema." Alikazia kwamba ugonjwa wa kunona unazidi kuongezeka kwa sababu viwanda vyote vinapata faida kutokana na ugonjwa huo. "Tatizo hilo linazidi kuwa mbaya kwa sababu rasilimali nyingi zaidi zinatumiwa kueneza tatizo hilo kuliko kulirekebisha", akasema Katz. "Kwa mfano, tunajua kwamba tuna chakula cha ghafula cha kutengeneza kile kinachotumiwa kwa makusudi ili kuongeza kula, lakini tunatoa mapendekezo yasiyofaa kuhusu 'kudhibiti kiasi cha chakula' bila kushughulikia kisababishi kikuu.""" "Kazi hiyo imesema kuwa ""kiwango cha unene wa mwili kinaongezeka kwa sababu jamii yetu haijafanya juhudi yoyote ya kurekebisha hali hiyo.""" "Tungeweza kuwa na ushauri mzuri wa kutibu unene wa watoto wetu kama tunavyotibu kuzama, kwa sababu, baada ya yote, wanazama katika kalori za hyper-palatable za vyakula vya ultra-processed, na katika teknolojia za kuokoa jitihada ambazo zinaongezeka bila kikomo. """ Katz alisema kuwa mafunzo ya lazima yanahitajika kuhusu hatari za kula kupita kiasi na kutofanya mazoezi, na pia kukumbusha kwa wingi juu ya kula vizuri. Alifananisha mambo hayo na hatua nyingi zinazohitajika ili kuwaweka watoto salama karibu na maji. "Baada ya miaka 30 ya kujitolea kwa sababu hiyo, ninangojea kuona siku hiyo ikitokea kwangu na kwa wazazi wengine wote, ""Katz alisema." Matokeo ya utafiti huo yalichapishwa Julai 25 katika jarida la JAMA Pediatrics. Kituo cha Marekani cha Kudhibiti na Kuzuia Magonjwa (CDC) kina ripoti ya juu ya ugonjwa wa kunenepa kwa watoto. Amanda Staiano, PhD, Mkurugenzi wa Ugonjwa wa Kunenepa kwa Watoto na Tabia ya Afya, Kituo cha Utafiti wa Biomedical cha Pennington, Chuo Kikuu cha Jimbo la Louisiana, Baton Rouge; David Katz, MD, MPH, Mtaalam, Tiba ya Kuzuia na Mtindo wa Maisha, na Rais, Mpango wa Afya ya Kweli, Tulsa, Oklahoma; JAMA Pediatrics, Julai 25, 2022.