Fast food contributes to childhood obesity

With the launch of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, some believe the obesity problem in America is being underestimated. Researchers claim some parents are under reporting the weight of their children. Using data supplied by parents might be up to 20 percent inaccurate.

National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month features many organizations working to educate the general public about ways to prevent and assist with childhood obesity.

For this study, 1,430 children were analyzed by height and weight using information relayed from their parents. Parents usually exaggerate the height of their sons, and under-report the height of their daughters. Also, nearly half of all parents under-reported the weight of their children.

Discovering the inaccuracy of parent reported information, researchers noted around 21 percent of children were actually obese but failed to be classified as so.

Disregarding inaccuracies in estimates, children between the ages of 6 and 11 have noticed an obesity increase of more than 400 percent. Also, 31.8 percent, over 23 million, teens and children (aged 2 to 19), can be classified as either overweight or obese. That statistic alone means the obesity “problem” is actually an epidemic.

Focusing on health and weight of a child will alleviate increased health care costs in the future, and also provide these children with the ability to live a long and healthy life.

While September is considered National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, experts explain the necessity to continue awareness throughout the year.