{"id":55576,"date":"2022-12-14T15:08:01","date_gmt":"2022-12-14T20:08:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=55576"},"modified":"2026-03-27T15:09:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T19:09:37","slug":"childhood-obesity-statistics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/news\/childhood-obesity-statistics\/","title":{"rendered":"Childhood obesity statistics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> plagues children in the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">United States<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. In a digital world, prioritizing the mental and physical health of our children can feel overwhelming. One of the best steps is being informed. In this article, we will talk about how common <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is, and how to prevent and treat it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"what-is-childhood-obesity\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a preventable condition where a child is significantly overweight relative to their height, age, and sex. This is measured using <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">body mass index<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), a ratio of weight in kilograms to height in meters. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in children is expressed in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-for-age-weight status categories and is tracked on the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">growth charts<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d we see during a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pediatric<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> well-child visit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> defines obesity in sex-specific, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-for-age-weight percentiles:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Overweight: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">children between the 85% to less than the 95% percentile\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Obese: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">children in the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">95th percentile<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or greater.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The World Health Organization (WHO) defines overweight and obesity in age-based categories.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<table class=\" singlecare-table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>\n<h2 id=\"who-overweight-vs-obese-in-children\"><span class=\"title\">WHO: Overweight vs. obese in children<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr class=\"header-row\">\n<td><b>Age<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Overweight<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Obese<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under 5 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weight-for-height greater than two standard deviations above the WHO Child Growth Standards median<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weight-for-height greater than three standard deviations above the WHO Child Growth Standards median<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5-19 years<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-for-age greater than one standard deviation above the WHO Growth Reference median<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-for-age greater than two standard deviations above the WHO Growth Reference median<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These categories are most easily visualized in their graphic form. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Caregivers<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can ask the child\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">healthcare<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provider to plot the child\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-for-age. This can be done in paper form or on a digital, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">interactive<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> chart.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"how-common-is-childhood-obesity\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How common is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Worldwide obesity has almost tripled since 1975. (WHO, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the United States, the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prevalence of obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in children and adolescents is 19.7%. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obesity affects about 14.7 million children and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">adolescents<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"childhood-obesity-statistics-worldwide\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> statistics worldwide<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Worldwide, 39 million children under the age of five years were overweight or obese in 2020. (WHO, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2016, over 340 million children and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">adolescents<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> between the ages of five and 19 years of age were overweight or obese. (WHO, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obesity was once considered a high-income country problem. However, the rates of children who are overweight and obese are now increasing in low-and middle-income countries. For example, obesity in children under five years of age has increased by nearly 24% in Africa since the year 2000. (WHO, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"national-childhood-obesity-statistics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> statistics\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> affected 19.3% of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">children ages<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> two to 19 from 2017 to 2018, which is about 14.4 million <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">US children<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">children ages<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 2-19 years old, the rate of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> increase approximately doubled during the COVID-19 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pandemic<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> compared to the pre-<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pandemic<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> period. (CDC, 2021)\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having obesity increases the risk of severe illness from COVID-19. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"childhood-obesity-statistics-by-age\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> statistics by age<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the years 2017 to 2022, obesity increased with age:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among children between two and five years of age, 12.7% were obese. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among children between six and 11 years of age, 20.7% were obese. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among children between 12 and 19 years of age, 22.2% were obese. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"childhood-obesity-statistics-by-gender\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> statistics by gender<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prevalence of obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is greater in boys than girls between the ages of five and nine years, according to 65% of countries\u2019 reports. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BM<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">J, 2020)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prevalence of obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is greater in boys than girls between the ages of 10 and 19 years, according to 60% of countries\u2019 reports. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMJ<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2020)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 50% of high- and upper-middle-income countries, the prevalence of obesity in boys is almost twice as great as in girls from ages five to 19 years. (BMJ, 2020)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, obesity statistics by gender in the United States are complex, with the differences in income and education widening among girls. (CDC, 2018).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"childhood-obesity-statistics-by-race\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> statistics by race<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The prevalence of obesity among different races varied between children ages two to 19 years from 2017 to 2020:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hispanic children had an obesity prevalence of 26.2%. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black children had an obesity prevalence of 24.8%. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Non-Hispanic<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> White children had an obesity prevalence of 16.6%. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Asian-American children had an obesity prevalence of 9%. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 id=\"childhood-obesity-statistics-by-socioeconomic-status\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> statistics by socioeconomic status<\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For all <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">age groups<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and across all genders, the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prevalence of obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> decreases as the head of household\u2019s level of education increases. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2018)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obesity <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prevalence<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is 19% among children with a household income less than or equal to 130% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). (CDC, 2018)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obesity <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prevalence<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is 20% among children with a household income greater than 130% of the FPL to less than or equal to 350% of the FPL. (CDC, 2018)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obesity <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prevalence<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is 11% among children with a household income greater than 350% of the FPL. (CDC, 2018)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr. David Culpepper, the clinical director of LifeMD notes, stated: \u201cThe increasing rate of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is alarming when you consider the fact that the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rate of obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is twice as high for children below the poverty line. This suggests that access to resources gives parents a better range of choices when it comes to nutrition, and that those living in poverty may be unable to afford a healthy diet.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"childhood-obesity-and-overall-health\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and overall health<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Being overweight and obese causes more deaths than being underweight. (WHO, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity is associated with higher risks of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">adult obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, psychological problems, and social problems. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity is associated with a three-fold increased risk of mortality in early adulthood. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PLOS Medicine<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2020)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Children diagnosed with obesity suffer worse outcomes from COVID-19. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They have been shown to have a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3.07 times higher risk of hospitalization and a 1.42 times higher risk of COVID-19-associated severe illness and death when hospitalized. (CDC, 2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Obesity in childhood causes health conditions that previously were only seen in adults. These include (CDC, 2021):\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hypertension<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (high blood pressure)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cardiovascular disease<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">heart disease<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">High <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cholesterol<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Type 2 diabetes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fatty liver disease\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Joint problems<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Infertility<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depression and poor self-image<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Suicide and attempted suicide\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"the-cost-of-childhood-obesity\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cost of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">prevalence of childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has reached epidemic levels in the United States and is widely considered a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">public health<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> crisis. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2021)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The World Obesity Federation predicts the number of school aged children and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">adolescents<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with obesity will rise from 150 million worldwide to over 250 million by 2030. This increase will place a significant burden on <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">healthcare<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and social services as the population ages. (World Obesity, 2022).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the United States, the annual direct <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">healthcare<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> costs in 2010 were over $14 billion for children with obesity. This number is expected to reach $45 billion by 2050. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and Obesity<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2010)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are significant costs associated with lost productivity, school absenteeism, premature mortality, increased insurance premiums, and increased disability payments. These are predicted to exceed $254 billion by 2050. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and Obesity<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2010)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"causes-of-childhood-obesity\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Causes of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overweight and obesity are primarily caused by an energy imbalance between <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">calories<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> consumed and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">calories<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> expended. Globally, there has been an increased intake of high-<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">calorie<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, carbohydrate-rich, energy-dense foods. There has also been a decrease in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">physical activity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> due to the sedentary nature of many forms of work, school, play, entertainment, and social <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">interactions<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While it is important to not minimize the role of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">calorie<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> balance, there are other, more nuanced contributors to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These include (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC,<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 2022):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The nutritional quality of the food being consumed\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eating patterns and behaviors\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Insufficient or poor quality of sleep<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social determinants of health (where we live, learn, work, and play)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Genetics<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Illness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certain medications<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"childhood-obesity-prevention\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity prevention<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2019s Division of Nutrition, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physical Activity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and Obesity (DNPAO) is committed to reducing <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">risk factors<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for obesity and preventing chronic diseases associated with obesity. DNPAO aims to reduce obesity, health disparities, and premature death by partnering with state and local programs focused on improving nutrition, supporting breastfeeding, increasing <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">physical activity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and achieving health equity. (<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">CDC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2022)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Healthcare<\/b><b> providers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> play a critical role in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">child health<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and development. For <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">caregivers<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> concerned about <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">obesity prevention<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, their child\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">healthcare<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provider can do the following (CDC, 2022):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide families with community resources where they can obtain <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">healthy foods<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for free or low-cost\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Monitor the child for patterns of overweight or obesity evidenced in a child\u2019s <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">growth chart<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Counsel <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">caregivers<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about nutrition, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">physical activity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and optimal sleep<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Refer families to nutrition education and breastfeeding support services<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Refer children over six years of age with obesity to programs that aid in developing healthy lifestyle habits\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Caregivers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> interested in preventing <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">obesity among children<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> should focus on (CDC, 2022):<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Providing infants with breast milk if possible\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Providing toddlers and children with diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimizing sodium in foods and sugary or sweetened beverages for children<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encouraging <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">physical activity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and participating in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">physical activity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with children,\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimizing screen time<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ensuring children receive adequate sleep<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teaching <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">high school-aged<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0children how to shop for and prepare healthy meals<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modeling healthy lifestyle habits<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Encouraging and involving other family, school, and community members to participate in modeling a healthy lifestyle.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"treating-childhood-obesity\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treating <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><b>The best treatment for <\/b><b>childhood obesity<\/b><b> is prevention. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is important to keep in mind that most of the data available captures children who are already obese. Identifying and implementing interventions for <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">overweight<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> children could prevent many of them from continuing the disproportionate <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">weight gain<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and progressing to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following treatments may be implemented in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">obese children<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Family-based behavioral therapies and lifestyle interventions. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is strong clinical evidence that behavioral interventions are of critical importance and should include the entire family unit. These interventions include goal planning, self-monitoring of behaviors around eating, modeling a healthy lifestyle, and\/or parent nutrition training. (American Psychological Association, 2019)\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Orlistat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a medication that inhibits the gastrointestinal absorption of dietary fat. It can be used in the management of obesity in children with significant comorbidities who are 12 years and older. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/prescription\/orlistat\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Orlistat<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has been demonstrated to decrease <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by 0.5 to 4.2 kg\/m2. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Canadian Family Physician<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2011; <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Journal Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2012<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Metformin<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a medication used in the management of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Type 2 diabetes<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in children 10 years and older. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/metformin-vs-metformin-er\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Metformin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> shows a short-term decrease in <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMI<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by 0.2-2.1 kg\/m2 after the first six months of starting it. However, weight loss usually stagnates after the first year of treatment. More studies are needed to determine metformin\u2019s long-term weight effects. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrition &amp; Diabetes<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2018<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>RELATED: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/best-weight-loss-pills\/\"><b>Could one of these 7 prescription weight-loss pills be right for you?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"childhood-obesity-questions-and-answers\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> questions and answers<\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"are-childhood-obesity-rates-increasing\"><strong>Are childhood obesity rates increasing?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity rates<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are increasing worldwide and will almost double by the end of the decade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-is-the-biggest-contributor-to-childhood-obesity\"><strong>What is the biggest contributor to childhood obesity?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The largest contributor to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the combination of increased consumption of high-calorie<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0food with increased inactivity and screen time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-factors-affect-childhood-obesity\"><strong>What factors affect childhood obesity?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is affected by culture, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ethnicity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, socioeconomic factors, and genetics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-are-3-main-causes-of-obesity\"><strong>What are 3 main causes of obesity?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Three main causes of obesity are:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a01) High-<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">calorie<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, nutrient-deficient food and drinks\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a02) Physical inactivity and increased screen time\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a03) Cultural acceptance of increased weight and lack of disseminated information regarding weight and health status<\/span><\/p>\n<h3 id=\"how-can-we-solve-childhood-obesity\"><strong>How can we solve childhood obesity?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Childhood obesity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> needs to be prevented. Increased access to healthy, affordable, nutrient-dense foods and promotion of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">physical activity<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help. Cultural shifts need to occur as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Is obesity genetic?<\/strong><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is not one obesity gene. However, there is a polygenic component to obesity where certain people are more susceptible to gaining weight than others. More genome studies need to be done in order to better understand the relationship between weight gain and genetics.\u00a0 However, increased activity and avoidance of certain types of foods can mitigate genetic effects. (<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Current Diabetes Reports<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2018; <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lancet<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, 2017<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Childhood obesity plagues children in the United States. In a digital world, prioritizing the mental and physical health of our children can feel overwhelming. One of the best steps is being informed. In this article, we will talk about how common childhood obesity is, and how to prevent and treat it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What is childhood obesity? [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":133,"featured_media":55581,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4114],"tags":[3564,16413],"coauthors":[20759],"class_list":["post-55576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-children","tag-singlecare-stats","wpautop"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Childhood obesity statistics 2026 | SingleCare<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975 and affects 14.4 million children and adolescents in the US. 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