Primary Care

Everybody Healthy

Childhood obesity is rising at an alarming rate. A recent report in the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity stated that by the year 2010, up to half of the children in North America will be overweight.

A child who is overweight has a higher risk for developing type II diabetes and other chronic health conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Many obese children also have a higher rate of problems with their bones and joints, liver disease, and asthma. Sleep apnea is also common in obese children.

While genetics does play a role in causing obesity, poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle are cited as the main reasons for the steady increase in childhood obesity. Helping kids make healthy choices is the first step toward reversing this alarming health trend.