Obesity & Sleep

In the past four decades, obesity rates in the United States have soared among all age groups. This rise in obesity rates has affected our youth in alarming fashion. Childhood obesity has increased more than fourfold among those ages 6 to 11. More than 23 million children and teenagers in the United States ages 2 to 19 are obese or overweight, a statistic that health and medical experts consider an epidemic. And this epidemic puts nearly one third of America’s children at early risk for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even stroke – conditions usually associated with adulthood.

Once considered a problem only of high-income countries, obesity rates are rising worldwide and affecting both the developed and developing world. 30 These increases have been felt most dramatically in urban settings. 161 The only remaining region of the world where obesity is not common is sub-Saharan Africa 2 History Etymology As far as the fattest cities in America are concerned, Corpus Christi (Texas) leads the table, followed by Charleston (West Virginia) and El Paso (Texas) in 2nd and 3rd position respectively. As per research by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the number of children in US meeting the dietary guidelines are very less, just about 40%.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is awarding $5 million to 42 American Indian and Alaska Native tribes in 19 states for projects to improve transit service, in addition to $25 million in funds announced recently to help improve public transit service on rural tribal lands and better connect tribal members and other residents with jobs, education, and other opportunities. Obesity research shows that the condition of obese increase with age. Around 28% of men and 27% of women aged 16-24 are obese in the world. But, about 76% of men and 68% of women between 55 and 64 of ages are obese.

There is even better news on child obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there are 18 states in which obesity rates for pre-school children from low income families declined. These declines are being seen in ‘’cities and states that were among the first to adopt a comprehensive approach to obesity prevention,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, RWJF president and CEO”. A nationally representative sample of 11 to 16 year olds conducted by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development demonstrates similar results. Combating obesity