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Obesity: A Weighty Issue for Children Charles W. Schmidt Abstract
image credit: Donna Day/Stone In a disturbing worldwide trend, the number of overweight and obese children is rising dramatically. Obesity impacts children's health in a number of ways, both physically and psychologically, and it is fast becoming a leading cause of death and illness. Obesity researchers are working to pinpoint definitive risk factors behind this increase. Changes in urban planning are contributing to a decline in walking and bicycling among children that may influence the rise in obesity, but few studies have examined this theory, though a concerted effort is underway to bridge this gap. Changes in eating patterns--larger portion sizes and the wide availability of cheap, high-calorie foods--are being studied to determine their part in the rise of obesity, as is the role of genetics.
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