How do children become obese?
National surveys reveal that 31.9 percent of children and adolescents are overweight, with a body mass index (BMI) in the 85th percentile, according to the Academy of Pediatrics, while 16.3 percent of children are obese, with a BMI at or above the 95th percentile. The reasons for this rising epidemic among children nationwide are numerous.Poor Eating HabitsIn an age of hurried lifestyles, children are often busy day in and day out traveling to school, appointments and extracurricular activities. Meals commonly come from fast food restaurants and other convenient options, which are often large in portions and high in fat and calories.Lack of ExerciseMany children prefer to stay indoors and play video games, watch television and surf the Internet rather than participate in physical activities, such as bike riding, playing basketball or swimming. This lack of exercise has been reported to be a leading cause in childhood obesity.Family HistoryChildren who have one parent who is obese are 5
