The health professionals and experts have been expressing their concerns on the climbing of obesity rate among teenagers and young children. Their concerns are inevitable because obesity could be the cause of developing many health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure) and even certain types of cancer, for these youngsters later in their life. Meanwhile, this phenomenon could lead to economic disadvantages not only for these youngsters but also for their countries, if not managed appropriately.
In order to find out if a person is of a healthy weight, body mass index (BMI) is usually used. BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight (in kilos) by the square of his or her height (in meter). The higher the BMI, the greater is the risk for obesity and health problems. Children were considered obese once their BMI falls within the 95th percentile or higher based on government BMI growth charts.
A recent study carried out by public health researchers from Ohio State University reported in April 2009 that almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese and the rate is alarmingly higher among Americans Indian children, with nearly a third of them are obese.
Seeing differences by race at such an early age was rather shock to the researchers. In the meantime, they also found that more than half a million 4-year-olds are obese.
As indicated in the findings, obesity is more common in Hispanic and black youngsters too. However, the disparity is most startling in American Indians, whose rate is almost double of whites.
The magnitude of these differences was indeed larger than what the researchers expected. Moreover, the researchers were also surprising to see the differences by racial groups occurred at so early in childhood.
In terms of percentage, almost 13 percent of Asian children were obese, along with 16 percent of whites, almost 21 percent of blacks, 22 percent of Hispanics, and 31 percent of American Indians.
In order to find out if a person is of a healthy weight, body mass index (BMI) is usually used. BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight (in kilos) by the square of his or her height (in meter). The higher the BMI, the greater is the risk for obesity and health problems. Children were considered obese once their BMI falls within the 95th percentile or higher based on government BMI growth charts.
A recent study carried out by public health researchers from Ohio State University reported in April 2009 that almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese and the rate is alarmingly higher among Americans Indian children, with nearly a third of them are obese.
Seeing differences by race at such an early age was rather shock to the researchers. In the meantime, they also found that more than half a million 4-year-olds are obese.
As indicated in the findings, obesity is more common in Hispanic and black youngsters too. However, the disparity is most startling in American Indians, whose rate is almost double of whites.
The magnitude of these differences was indeed larger than what the researchers expected. Moreover, the researchers were also surprising to see the differences by racial groups occurred at so early in childhood.
In terms of percentage, almost 13 percent of Asian children were obese, along with 16 percent of whites, almost 21 percent of blacks, 22 percent of Hispanics, and 31 percent of American Indians.
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