childhood obesity

Health & Safety

Obesity In Children And Teens Rose Sharply Worldwide Over Past 4 Decades

5:42pm October 11, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

The number of young people with obesity has risen tenfold since 1975, according to a study from the World Health Organization. At the same time, that rise has been far from uniform across the world.

A new study suggests wrangling your kids to bed at the same time each night could help set them up for a healthier future.

Eat, Sleep, Repeat: How Kids' Daily Routines Can Help Prevent Obesity

1:15pm April 25, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

A new study finds that preschool-age children who didn't have a set sleep routine were more likely to be overweight by the time they hit the preteen years.

Chart: Obesity-Related Insurance Claims Have Risen In Youth Under 22

Obesity-Linked Diagnoses On The Rise Among Kids And Teens

2:13pm January 12, 2017

by Julie Appleby

A new analysis of U.S. health insurance claims is worrisome, pediatricians say: More and more young people are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and sleep apnea.

Jaime Rangel helps Gustavo Ruiz, 12, align a tire on his bike, at a recent community event in southeast Fresno, Calif. As manager for Bici Projects, Rangel promotes cycling in the Latino community as a great way to get in shape.

Cyclist Teaches Kids To Use Fun To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

11:33am May 03, 2016

by Farida Jhabvala Romero

Jaime Rangel was 14 when he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Bike rides helped him get in shape and defeat the illness. Now 26, he's showing other kids from low-income families how to do it.

Studies show that kids' household income seems to be a more important predictor of their risk of becoming overweight and obese than their race or ethnicity.

Health & Safety

Why Poverty May Be More Relevant Than Race For Childhood Obesity

1:28pm January 22, 2016

by Vanessa Rancano

Are kids more at risk of becoming obese because of their race or their economic status? A group of researchers at the University of Michigan tried to tease out an answer.

Obesity prevalence among women in their 40s and 50s has risen to 42 percent since 1999-2000, the CDC found. For middle-aged men, the rate is 38 percent.

More Women Than Men Are Obese In America, And Gap Is Widening

12:56pm November 13, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

After decades of increases, U.S. obesity rates overall seem to be flattening out, the CDC says. But obesity is rising among middle-aged women, and particularly among black and Hispanic women.

What role do high-calorie, low-nutrition junk foods play in expanding waistlines? Two recent studies tackle that question.

Health & Safety

Are Junk Food Habits Driving Obesity? A Tale Of Two Studies

3:28pm November 12, 2015

by Maria Godoy

In the fight against obesity, junk foods have become public enemy No. 1. But some people question whether certain foods are really the culprits. Two new studies come to very different conclusions.

Silvester Fullard fixes dinner for his 11-year-old son Tavestsiar. When Tavestsiar first came to live with his dad in 2010, he was closed off, Silvester says; "he didn't want to be around other kids."

To Head Off Trauma's Legacy, Start Young

8:25pm March 09, 2015

by Laura Starecheski

Two Philadelphia medical clinics support parents to help break generational cycles of trauma and abuse. Attending to adversity, doctors say, gives kids a better chance to grow up healthy.

Queue Listen Now

Health & Safety

Does Snoring Leave Tots More Vulnerable To Childhood Obesity?

7:36am December 15, 2014

by Alison Bruzek

Young kids who don't get enough shut-eye, or who are noisy breathers when they doze, are more likely to have weight issues as adolescents, a British study suggests.

Students at Lowell High School in Michigan sit down for lunch. Shorter lunch breaks mean that many kids don't get enough time to eat and socialize.

These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes

9:09am December 07, 2013

by Eric Westervelt

In a new poll, parents complain that their children are not getting nearly enough time for a basic school ritual: eating lunch. And that's worrying parents and administrators, given that about one-third of American kids are overweight or obese.

Queue Listen Now