Obesity Rate of Teens in America

Children and teenagers may be classed as being obese when their weight is at least 10 percent above what it should be for their height and body type. As AnneCollins.com points out, the number of obese teens in America has been increasing steadily each year since 1982.

Statistics

• According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), as of 2008, between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents in the United States can be classed as obese or overweight. Additionally, it is estimated that the condition costs American society around $100 billion a year, with teenage obesity sufferers highly likely to experience problems with their weight later on in life.

Associated Problems

• The National Diabetes Education Program reports that growing numbers of teens in America are being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, largely due to being obese or overweight. Additionally, overweight teens are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure and high cholesterol in later life than their slim peers, while the Office of the Surgeon General warns that overweight youngsters are also more likely to suffer from discrimination, low self-esteem and depression.

Causes

• While genetics can play a role, obesity in teens is largely caused by an unhealthy diet, insufficient exercise or a combination of the two. Figures published by the Surgeon General show that 43 percent of adolescents in America watch more than two hours of television a day, and teenage girls are more likely than boys to become less active at this point in their lives.