A recent Reuters report has alarmingly indicated that the level of extreme obesity in children is much higher than previously thought.  This puts U.S children at greater risk of serious health problems as they age. According to the Journal of Pediatrics; a study of more than 700,000 children and teenagers in Southern California found that more than 6% or 45,000 were extremely obese. This same study also indicated that that extreme obesity is rising in almost every group.  7% of boys and 5% of girls are currently classified as extremely obese as are more than 2% of children under five.  If this trend continues and major lifestyle changes do not occur the children in this study and others who are obese can expect a 10-20 year shorter life span and will develop health problems in their 20’s that are generally associated with 40-60 year olds. 

According to pediatrician Amy Porter; this may be the first generation of children who do not outlive their parents. Currently, 1/3 of U.S. children are obese. Obesity and overweight in children is extremely indicative of these health problems being a lifelong issue. 80% of children who are overweight at the ages of 10-15 will be obese by the age of 25. Overweight children account for 25% of obese adults. Adolescents who are overweight are projected to increase the prevalence of obese 35 year olds in 2020 to a range of 30-37% in men and 34-44% in women. Obese children and adolescents are at risk for health factors associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and the increased prevalence of other adult diseases. Sleep apnea is being diagnosed in record numbers in children and teenagers are being referred to orthopedists because of the severity of their knee and joint problems due to excess weight. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 8-45% of new pediatric diabetes cases depending on geography, 2 million adolescents ages 12-19 have pre diabetes, and approximately 176,500 people under the age of 20 have type 2 diabetes. The rate of new cases of type 2 diabetes has doubled in the last decade.

Two thirds of U.S adults are overweight or obese. There are obvious health risks associated with unhealthy body weight such as chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes, but more and more studies are indicating the extreme economic impact of obesity. According to a report by Dr. Lesley Russel; chronic illnesses that are directly related to obesity are estimated to add $150 billion annually to U.S health care costs.  Obesity has been linked to a 36% increase in health care spending and more than a quarter of U.S healthcare costs are related to physical inactivity, overweight, and obesity. Exercise and physical activity are obvious solutions to promote health and physical fitness and also combat excess weight and obesity and yet the majority of Americans do not participate in the recommended amount of exercise. A 2003 study reported that more than half; 54.1% of adult Americans failed to meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity.

As obesity rates continue to rise, so do the economic costs straining the country’s already embattled health care system. Dr. Russel also reported that obesity accounts for 7% of Medicare expenditure and 11% of adult Medicaid expenditures. From 1987-2002 private health insurance spending increased from $3.6 billion to an astounding $36.5 billion. This is a more than tenfold increase.   In 2002, spending on medical care related to obesity accounted for 11.6% of all private health care spending. For obese individuals annual medical expenses were $7,235 almost $2,000 more a year than those of a healthy weight who spent $5,390 on annual medical expenses.  Health care spending for obese adults was 56% higher than normal weight adults according to a 2002 study.  Employers of obese workers are also economically impacted. A 2008 study reported that private employers spent approximately $45 billion annually as a result of medical expenses and excessive absenteeism of obese employees.  Obese workers have 183.63 lost work days per 100 full time employees compared to 14.19 lost work days per 100 full time employees of normal weight.

Obese workers have more than twice as many compensation claims as normal weight workers. Children that are treated for obesity are three times more expensive for the healthcare system.  There is also a growing body of evidence that suggests a link between mental health and obesity. Adults who are currently or have been diagnosed with depression are 60% more likely to be obese.  Those with anxiety orders are 30% more likely to be obese and less likely to exercise. Children treated for obesity were also far more likely to be diagnosed with mental health disorders.   There is also an indication that obesity may be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

Additional information from Dr. Russel’s study had indicated a dramatic increase in U.S obesity rates in the past thirty years. Obesity is associated with approximately 112,000 excess deaths per year in the U.S population in relation to healthy weight individuals.  Even within the past two decades, the obesity rate in the United States has increased exponentially. In 1990, no state had a prevalence of obesity higher than 15% and in ten states the prevalence of obesity was less than 10%. By 2007, only Colorado had a prevalence of obesity less than 20% and thirty states had prevalence equal to or greater than 25%. Three states: Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee   had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%. A 2008 report indicates that adult obesity rates continue to increase in 37 states and no states show a decline in obesity rates. The rate of combined overweight and obese Americans now exceeds 60% in 32 states and it is predicted that 75% of Americans will be overweight or obese by 2015.

As alarming as these statistics may be, it is still possible to reverse this disturbing trend. The personal choices that people make and teach their children have the greatest impact on their lives and the lives of their family.  Choosing to take a walk or ride a bike for an hour instead of watching television for an hour is a simple and effective choice to preserve good health. Along with regular physical activity, smart food choices also facilitate a healthy body weight and good health. Consider food choices like POPCAKE pancakes as part of a healthy lifestyle. POPCAKE pancakes are 97% fat free, low fat and low sodium and are wonderfully complimented by other healthful foods like fruit. Incorporating these kinds of choices into daily life makes healthy living simple.

It’s no secret that obesity is a significant problem in the United States affecting adults and children alike. It is important that parents instill good nutritional and exercise habits in their children at a young age. According to the CDC, a study conducted from 1999-2001 has shown that 16% or over 9 million 6-19 year olds are overweight or obese. This number is triple was it was in 1980. The same study also concluded that an additional 15% of the same age group was determined to be at risk of becoming overweight.  In the past three decades obesity has more than doubled in children ages 2-5 and in adolescents ages 12-19. The obesity rates in children ages 6-11 have more than tripled. The study also revealed a correlation between childhood obesity and obesity in adulthood. Obese children, particularly teenagers, were 70% likely to be obese as adults. The detrimental effects of obesity are most readily observed through medical issues, but the consequences are much far more dispersed.

According to the Institute of Medicine, the economic expenditures associated with hospital costs for children and youth for treatment of obesity related illnesses and diseases has increased from $35million from 1979-1981 to $127million form 1991-1997. This figure may seem staggering but considering that diagnoses for type 2 diabetes in children has increased from 4% in the pre 1990’s to 8-45% during the 1990’s it’s not so hard to believe. 60% of obese children between the ages of 5 and 10 have a risk factor for developing heart disease.  25% of this same demographic has at least two risk factors for heart disease including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels.

The United States is unfortunately known as a fast food nation. Because of the prevalence of fast food in most American diets, most American’s sodium levels are far higher that what is deemed healthy.  Most children love fast food and are a staple of many of their diets. According to the National Association of County and City Health Officials; a recent study in the journal Hypertension has shown a statistically significant correlation between salt intake and total fluid intake that generally includes a sugar sweetened soft drink.  The vast majority of fast food kids’ meals include salty French fries and a sugary sweet soda. This not only exacerbates the childhood obesity problem with the calorie, fat, and sugar levels of the meal; this same study has shown that the high sodium content of fast food kids’ meals causes children to crave high content corn syrup drinks. Even those who don’t frequent fast food establishments will still have a hard time minimizing sodium levels in food.  According to nutrition.org, the sodium added to processed foods accounts for 75% of the sodium in U.S diets.

According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women.  In 2006 631,636 or 26% of Americans died from heart disease. Heart disease is attributed as the cause of more than 1 in 4 deaths.  Annually 785,000 Americans suffer their first heart attack while another 470,000 suffer from their 2nd or 3rd. As if the loss of life statistics weren’t disturbing enough, the price tag associated with the treatment of heart disease in 2010 will cost the nation $316.4 billion. This figure includes the total cost of health care, medications, and lost productivity.  According to the CDC, obesity accounts for 33.9% of the risk factors for heart disease and inactivity accounts for 39.5% of the risks factors for heart disease. According to the Women’s Heart Foundation,  1.5 million heart attacks occur in the U.S annually and 500,000 of these are fatal. 14 million Americans have a medical history of heart attack or angina.  A heart attack occurs about every 20 seconds and a heart attack related death occurs every minute.

Another medical problem that is directly related to obesity is chronic fatigue.  Fatigue and obesity are linked by a medical abnormality known as Insulin Resistance.  Insulin facilitates glucose into cells for energy in a person of healthy body weight. In an obese person, Insulin Resistance desensitizes the cells ‘to insulin and impairs the process.  This results in unbalanced glucose and insulin levels. This imbalance can cause other health risks including diabetes. 50% of Insulin Resistance cases are caused by lifestyle factors and choices. Insulin Resistance and excess weight both cause fatigue- which can increase the fatigue levels in an obese person. According to howstuffworks.com, OHS or Obesity Hyperventilation Syndrome occurs when a significantly obese person does not breathe enough oxygen while sleeping. OHS is believed to result from both a defect in the brain’s control over breathing and excessive weight due to obesity pressing against the chest wall. This pressure against the chest wall makes it difficult for a person to take a deep breath. The shallower breaths result in too much carbon dioxide in the blood and not enough oxygen.  This causes chronic fatigue due to sleep loss, poor sleep quality, and chronic hypoxia or low blood oxygen levels. Morbid obesity is the primary risk factor for OHS.  OHS can also include cardiovascular complications such as hypertension and right heart failure. Left untreated, OHS can cause significant heart and blood vessel complications, severe disability or death.

Sleep and a healthy body weight have a significant relationship, particularly in children. According to the Pediatrics Journal, a recent study has shown a strong correlation between lack of sleep in children and an elevated obesity risk as they grow older. The same study has shown that each additional hour a third grader sleeps at night reduces the risk by 40% that the child will be an obese 6th grader. Irregular bedtimes, caffeine intake, and televisions in children bedrooms are all believed to be contributors to a child’s loss of sleep and obesity. Sleep deprivation is believed to upset the balance between two hormones that regulate appetite: ghrelin; which promotes hunger and leptin; which is a hormone that contributes to the feeling of fullness. The third graders that comprised this study slept an average of 9 hours. Those least likely to be obese slept 10-12 hours consistently.

Parents have the opportunity to instill good nutrition habits in their children at an early age. While U.S. children are bombarded with images of fast foods and unhealthy foods through advertising, parents have a crucial role in showing their children the healthy food alternatives that are far better choices for their health and overall well being.  Food choices like Popcake pancakes are ideal to promote healthy lifestyle choices. Popcake pancakes are low fat, low sodium, and 97% fat free. Popcake pancakes can be used to make countless healthy and delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks.  Parents can feel good about the nutritional value of Popcake pancakes and children will love the taste and the wide variety of meals that can be created.