The Main Causes of Childhood Obesity

Obesity is a serious issue. In fact, many experts believe it has become an American epidemic. The incidence of obesity among American adults has increased dramatically in recent years. For instance, in 1991, only 12% of adults were obese. But by the year 2001, almost 21 percent of American adults were obese. This indicates an increase of 75%. Because this data is based on self-reported height and weight information, it's likely that the nation's true obesity rates are even higher.

In 1999, a study performed by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, found that approximately 30% of American adults are obese and an additional 34% are considered overweight. According to these estimates, only 35% of American adults are at or below a healthy weight.

The number of Americans who are morbidly obese is also growing at an alarming rate. Morbid obesity is defined as being one hundred pounds or more overweight. According to the latest research, about one man in eighty weighs more than 300 pounds. This represents a 50% increase from 1996 to 2000. This research also shows that one in two hundred women in the United States weighs more than 300 pounds, representing a 67% increase over the same time period.

Who Is Affected?

Between the genders, men are more likely than women to be overweight. However, women are more likely to be obese. And for both men and women, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increases with age. Alarmingly, the sharpest rise in rates of overweight and obesity in the past decade has occurred among adults, ages 18 through 29.

Socioeconomic status also plays a role in the prevalence of obesity and overweight Americans. For all racial and ethnic groups, women with an income that falls below the federal poverty level are 50% more likely to be obese than those with higher incomes. On the other hand, men are about equally likely to be obese, regardless of their financial status.

Causes of Obesity:

Overeating and Dietary Choices: Without a doubt, simple overeating is one of the primary causes of obesity. Eating more food than necessary, particularly food that is high in fat and sugar, leads to excess weight gain because the body cannot process it quickly enough.
Sedentary Lifestyle: Failure to get plenty of physical activity is another of the many causes of obesity. The more physically active you are, the more calories you burn. If you eat more calories than you burn through physical activity, you will ultimately become obese as your body stores the extra energy as fat.

Emotions:Emotional issues can also lead to obesity. Some people eat in response to their emotions, particularly when they are sad, bored, angry, or feeling stressed out.
Genetics:Genetics may lead to another long list of possible causes of obesity. If one or both of your parents are obese, you are more likely to be obese as well.

Effects of Obesity:

Obesity is linked to such medical conditions as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, sleep disorders, asthma, arthritis, menstrual dysfunction, and with some forms of cancer, such as uterine, gall bladder, breast, colon, and kidney. Psychological disorders such as depression, stress, and anxiety can also be attributed to obesity.

Obesity contributes to serious medical, development, and emotional illnesses that can affect the life and death of millions of Americans. The relationship between weight and one's health has been a major factor in drawing national attention to the alarming problem of obesity in America. As the second leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States, obesity claims approximately 300,000 lives each year.

About the Author
Dr. Edward F. Group III is the founder of Global Healing Center, Inc. He continues to develop, sell and evaluate exclusively high-end natural and organic healthcare products to support a wide range of health conditions. For more information, please visit Slimirex.com and Weightlossobesity.com.