Childhood Obesity
Life Threat & Health Consequences

Obesity is a life threat with serious health consequences that start as a child and continue into adulthood unless the excess weight is lost.

• Children today have a shorter life expectancy than their parents for the first time in 100 years.



• One in three children born after the year 2000 will develop diabetes as a result of childhood obesity.



• Diabetes requires major lifestyle modifications, and has no cure. The disease also leads to many complications and is considered a life threat as the fifth-deadliest disease.



• Those who are obese have a 50% - 100% higher risk of premature death from all causes when compared to those of a healthy weight.



• The overweight and obese are at an increased risk for many diseased and health conditions, including the following:
    - Hypertension
    - High total cholesterol
    - Type 2 diabetes
    - Coronary heart disease
    - Stroke
    - Gallbladder disease
    - Osteoarthritis
    - Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
    - Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)

To learn more about the health and life risks associated with obesity, please visit the following sites:

Centers for Disease Control (http://www.cdc.gov)

The Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/)

American Heart Association (http://www.americanheart.org)

American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org)

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrition.gov (http://www.nutrition.gov/)

Not only does obesity drastically impact your health, but it also impacts your wallet. Click here to find out how.