The prevalence of overweight in children is higher in California than the national average and is creeping up annually. At the same time, sedentary activity, as measured by hours of television viewing is also increasing. Native American, Mexican American and African American children are especially vulnerable to the onset of overweight during childhood. Pressuring youngsters to be thin has not helped reduce the prevalence of overweight. Instead it has resulted in a host of new health problems such as rampant body dissatisfaction, poor body image, low self-esteem, and eating disorders.
Many youngsters are unhappy with their bodies.
Childhood overweight is defined as excess body weight per unit of height. The cut-off points are somewhat arbitrary. However, some children who are growing normally may fall above these percentiles. This is why it is important for each child's growth to be tracked and monitored by a health care professional. The primary health risk of overweight in children is the probability that it will last into adulthood and result in increased risk for a variety of chronic diseases such as hypertension, type 11 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.