Next, you’ll learn about the obesity epidemic in the United States, and how it relates to children of the middle childhood age range ( 6 to 11 year olds). Before you dive into the details on the next page, let’s reflect upon the severity of the issue in this discussion.
According to CDC data, in 1980, 7% of children between the ages of 6 to 11 years old were obese in the United States. The most recent data (2017-2020) reports 20.7% of children of the same age range are obese. This is an increase of roughly 13%! One-fifth of children from 6 to 11 years old are now obese in the United States. Why has obesity increased so much over the last 40 years?
Furthermore, 2017-2020 CDC data shows racial disparities in childhood obesity, in which it is more common among certain populations. Obesity prevalence was:
- 26.2% among Hispanic children
- 24.8% among non-Hispanic Black children
- 16.6% among non-Hispanic White children
- 9.0% among non-Hispanic Asian children
You can also read about how socioeconomic status affects obesity rates, and see other reports, charts and information on the state of obesity in children in the United States on the CDC’s website.
Resource: Center For Disease Control & Prevention. Childhood Obesity Facts. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/childhood.html#:~:text=Obesity%20prevalence%20was%2012.7%25%20among,more%20common%20among%20certain%20populations. December 29, 2022.
Directions:
For this discussion, identify one or two reasons why you believe there has been an increase in childhood obesity since the 1980s, and explain why. For full credit, use facts, statistics, news articles, or reputable websites to support your reasons. Be sure to cite your resource to earn full credit.