In 2015-16, 18.5% of children and adolescents aged 2-19 years in the United States had obesity, effecting about 13.7 million children.
In 2014-15, 17% of children aged 2-19 years in Knox County had obesity.
Obese children and adolescents have an increased risk for:
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension
- Dyslipidemia
- Stroke, liver & gallbladder disease
- Sleep Apnea
- Osteoarthritis
- Gynecological problems
- Cancers (breast, endometrial & colon)
- Asthma
- Psychological problems (anxiety & depression)
- Low self-esteem & social problems
References
- Childhood Obesity Facts. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. June 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html.
- 2014-2015 Community Health Assessment. Knox County Health Department. https://knoxcounty.org/health/pdfs/CHA_web_2015.pdf.
- Facts About Childhood Obesity. East Tennessee Children’s Hospital. 2020. https://www.etch.com/community/healthy-kids/eat-and-live-healthy/.
- Childhood Obesity Facts. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. September 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/causes.html.
