Obesity in Schools

Prevalence rates of overweight children have doubled in the last 20 years. In 1980, 7 percent of 6- to 11-year-olds were overweight compared with 18.8 percent in 2004. In the past 20 years, the prevalence rate for adolescents aged 12–19 years has tripled from 5 percent to 17.1 percent. Approximately 80 percent of obese adolescents will become obese adults. Children who are overweight by the age 8 are more likely to become morbidly obese in adulthood. Roughly 50 percent of all youth aged 12–21 years are physically active, and only 20 percent of adolescents in the United States eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. These two factors are major contributors to the epidemic of obesity in the United States.

Obesity in childhood and adolescence contributes to many serious physical and emotional consequences. It is estimated that at least 61 percent of young people who are overweight have at least one additional risk factor with heart disease, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol. Obesity beginning in childhood is linked to many other diseases and ailments in adulthood, including bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, eating disorders, infertility, asthma, eye disorders, diabetes, certain types of cancers, gallbladder disease, and stroke. Many obese children suffer from hypertension, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, and menstrual irregularities in their youth. There has been a dramatic increase in pediatric Type 2 diabetes in the general population, with much of this increase being almost entirely attributed to the rise in childhood obesity. Children with obesity are nine times more likely to have persistent high blood pressure. High blood pressure in childhood is the strongest predictor of adult high blood pressure, significantly increasing the risk of adult cardiovascular disease.

Approximately 30 percent of morbidly obese children suffer from sleep apnea, a disorder where breathing during sleep becomes briefly interrupted. Sleep apnea is associated with depression, and memory, learning, and concentration problems. Although rare, some obese children are at risk for obesity hypoventilation syndrome. This is a life-threatening syndrome in which insufficient amounts of oxygen are breathed in while asleep and awake. Less common problems in obese individuals include slipped capital epiphyses and Blount's disease. These medical conditions may result in bowed bones, hip and knee pain, and altered gait. Thirty percent of women diagnosed with polycystic ovary disease, commonly associated with menstrual difficulties and infertility, are obese.

Being overweight brings about serious emotional and psychological consequences. Overweight children are much less likely to describe themselves as happy or confident. They are much more likely to describe themselves as lonely, sad, fearful, and different. Overweight children are five times more likely to say their self-confidence is poor compared to average-weight students. Overweight children, regardless of the topic, tend to have more worries than average-weight children, including worries about the future. Obesity is linked to a number of psychological difficulties. Regardless of age, individuals who are obese tend to be at higher risk for depression, eating disorders, distorted body image, low self-esteem, and anxiety. Obese adolescents report more sadness, loneliness, and anxiety. Childhood obesity is linked to oppositional defiant disorder in adolescence.

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