TEENAGE OBESITY RESEARCH QUESTION ANSWERS18A
- What percentage of teenagers isoverweight /obese in the U.S.?
July 2003 LA County Health Survey Report results show that in the United States about 15% of all children, including adolescents, are overweight
(Source: LA Co. Dept. of Health Services: publichealth.lacounty.gov)
2001-2004 Health Status Report: 17% (12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 are overweight. % of adolescents who are overweight has tripled since 1980
(Source: Centers for Disease Control:
- How many teenagers suffer from obesity related diseases in the US (Type II diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.)?
During 2002–2005, 3,600 youth were newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes annually.
(Source: Centers for Disease Control. National Diabetes Fact Sheet 2011:
About1 in every 400 children and adolescents has diabetes; 215,000, or 0.26% of all people under 20 years of age have diabetes
Obesity also causes heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver, orthopedic problems, depression, low self-esteem, negative body image,increased risk of asthma, sleep apnea, diabetes-related blindness, kidney disease, neuropathy, and amputation, andsocial stigmatization
(Source: American Diabetes Association:
80 percent of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are overweight
33 percent of boys born in 2000 will develop diabetes if current trends continue
39 percent of girls born in 2000 will develop diabetes if current trends continue
(Source: CA Center for Public Health Advocacy: “California’s Childhood Obesity Epidemic”. “Dropping the Ball: Schools Fail to Meet Physical Education Mandates ”:
Hypertension rates increased in 47 states between 2003-2007 and 2005-2009. The most recent data available is the 2009 data set. Mississippi had the highest rate of hypertension at 34.8 percent, while Utah had the lowest, at 20.5 percent.
(Source: Trust for America's Health. “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future, 2011.
July 2011. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
Obesity 2011Report.pdf)
- How much money does the US spend on treating obesity related health issues every year?
The estimated cost of diabetes to the United States for direct health care and other indirect expenditures is about $100 billion annually.
(Source: Centers for Disease Control:
$174 billion: Total costs of diagnosed diabetes in the United States in 2007; $116 billion for direct medical costs; $58 billion for indirect costs(disability, work loss, premature mortality). After adjusting for population age and sex differences, average medical expenditures among people with diagnosed diabetes were 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes.
(Source: American Diabetes Association:
In 2005, the US spent about $190 billion on treating obesity related health issues. This may be due to the fact obesity contributes to 6 major diseases. Another contributing factor is people with obesity related diseases on Medicare which must be paid for with tax money. This amount may also be affected by people missing work because they are too sick from obesity related diseases. Also, there are people who can't work or who are on disability because they are obese or have obesity related diseases. By 2030, the amount of money spent on treating obesity related health issues could rise by about $60 billion a year.
(Source: Harvard School of Public Health. Copyright 2012:
- How many teenagers in Los Angeles are overweight / obese?
In LA County every 5th, 7th, and 9th grader is given a fitness gram. 2003 results show that about
21% are overweight and another 19% are vulnerable to becoming overweight.
(Source: LA Public Health Organization. County of Los Angeles Dept. of Health Services. July 2003: publichealth.lacounty.gov/ha/reports)
5. How many teenagers are overweight /obese in other countries?
% of 13-year-old boys who are overweight: US 12.6%; Greece 8.9%; Ireland 7%; Lithuania 1.8%
% of 15-year-old boys who are overweight: US 13.9%; Greece 10.8%; Israel 6.8; Lithuania .08%
% of 13-year-old girls who are overweight: US 10.8%; Portugal 8.3%; Ireland 6.6%; Lithuania 2.6%
% of 15-year-old girls who are overweight: US 15.1%; Portugal 6.7%; Denmark 6.5%; Lithuania 2.1%
(Source: National Institutes of Health News. “U.S. Teens More Overweight Than Youth in 14 OtherCountries”. US Dept. of Health and Human Services Organization. January 5, 2004:
6., 17. What percentage of overweight/obese teenagers are non-Hispanic whites, Latino?
Table 2 Prevalence of obesity among U.S. adolescents aged 12-19, for selected years 1988-1994 through 2007-2008
NHANES 1988-1994 / NHANES1999-2000 / NHANES 2001-2002 / NHANES 2003-2004 / NHANES 2005-2006 / NHANES 2007-2008
Boys, All / 11.3 / 14.8 / 17.6 / 18.2 / 18.2 / 19.3
Boys, Non-Hispanic white / 11.6 / 11.8 / 16.6 / 19.1 / 15.5 / 16.7
Boys, Non-Hispanic black / 10.7 / 21.1 / 16.7 / 18.4 / 18.4 / 19.8
Boys, Mexican American / 14.1 / 27.2 / 21.8 / 18.3 / 25.6 / 26.8
Girls1, All / 9.7 / 14.8 / 15.7 / 16.4 / 17.3 / 16.8
Girls1, Non-Hispanic white / 8.9 / 11.0 / 13.7 / 15.4 / 13.5 / 14.5
Girls1, Non-Hispanic black / 16.3 / 25.2 / 22.0 / 25.4 / 29.8 / 29.2
Girls1, Mexican American / 13.4 / 19.3 / 20.3 / 14.1 / 25.4 / 17.4
In 2001–2004, non-Hispanic black female adolescents were more likely to be overweight than
non-Hispanic white and Mexican American female teenagers. Among male adolescents, there were
no significant differences in overweight by race and Hispanic origin.
(Source: Centers for Disease Control. NCHS Health E-Stat. “Prevalence of Obesity Among
Children and Adolescents: United States, Trends 1963-1965 Through 2007-2008.”by
Cynthia Ogden, Ph.D., and Margaret Carroll, M.S.P.H., Division of Health and Nutrition
Examination Surveys)
7. What percentage of overweight/obese teenagers receive Medicare benefits?
The increasing prevalence of obesity in the U.S. is of particular concern, in part, because it has the potential to influence the health and health care needs of a generation of adults. Current estimates are that approximately 34 percent of U.S. adultsand 17 percent of children and adolescents are obese.Medical costs associated with obesity were estimated to be $147 billion in 2008.Medicare and Medicaid pay for a large portion of these costs, with one study showing that, in 2003, approximately one-half of obesity–attributed medical expenditures were financed by Federal and State governments through Medicare and Medicaid
(Source: Report to Congress. Preventive and Obesity-Related Services
Available to Medicaid Enrollees. 2010. Dept. of Health and Human Services:
8. How many teenagers in California are overweight / obese?
Results from the 2011 National Survey of Children’s Health show that about 15-20% of all children
are obese in California
(Source: Trust for America's Health. “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future, 2011.
July 2011. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
Obesity 2011Report.pdf)
An alarming number of students in California are overweight, unfit, or both. Newly released
FITNESSGRAM® results for California indicate that only 28.7 percent of fifth graders,34.6 percent of
seventh graders, and 38.5 percent of ninth graders are in the Healthy Fitness Zones® for all six
fitness areas.
(Source: CA Dept. of Education:
9. How do other major cities compare to Los Angeles in their teenage obesity rates?
According to Men’s Fitness, Los Angeles is rated #21 in the top 25 fattest major cities in America
(Source: 2009 Fattest Cities in America:
cities-america)
10. What percentage of overweight teens remains overweight in adulthood?
75 percent of overweight adolescents are likely to be obese as adults
(Source: CA Center for Public Health Advocacy: “California’s Childhood Obesity Epidemic”.
“Dropping the Ball: Schools Fail to Meet Physical Education Mandates ”:
11. What percentage of overweight / obese teenagers is African American?
35.9 percent of African‐American children ages 2 to 19 are overweight or obese, compared with 31.7 percent of allchildren those ages; 11.4 percent of African‐American children ages 2 to 5 are obese;over the past two decades, the prevalence of obesity among African‐American adolescents ages 12 to 19 rose from13.4 percent to 24.4 percent; the statistics for African‐American adolescent girls ages 12 to 19 is even more dramatic. By 2007‐08, 29.2 percent wereobese – the highest prevalence of any age group by gender, race or ethnicity. By comparison, fewer than one in fiveMexican‐American or white adolescent girls was obese
The higher prevalence of overweight and obesity among African‐American children places them at greater risk of developing chronic diseasesAfrican‐American children are more likely to develop diabetes than white children. Among children born in 2000, whiteboys have a 26.7 percent risk of being diagnosed with diabetes during their lifetimes, while African‐American boyshave a 40.2 percent lifetime risk. White girls born in 2000 have a 31.2 percent risk of being diagnosed with diabetesduring their lifetimes, while African‐American girls have a 49 percent lifetime risk
(Source: Campaign for Healthy Kids. “Overweight and Obesity Among African American Youths”: campaignforhealthykids.org/resources/)
12. What percentage of SFHS students are overweight / obese?
13. How does our nation’s current teenage obesity rate compare with the rate 5 or 10 years ago?
10.3% (1999-2002); 11.1% (2017-2010)
(Source: Centers for Disease Control. Table 75 (page 1 of 2). “Obesity among children and
adolescents 2–19 years of age, by selected characteristics: United States, selected years
1963–1965 through 2007–2010”:
14. How much does it cost to build and maintain a community garden?
The cost of building and maintaining a community garden is a low. One reason for it being
affordable is because after being built the community residents are responsible for caring for the
gardens. Not only do they save money by not having to hire city employees but the city may help
with all necessities to take care of it. Revenue can also help with the expenses made to keep care
of the community garden.
The annual costs of most community gardens are minimal because residents, rather than city employees, are responsible for maintaining the gardens. For example, in the Burlington Area Community Garden in Vermont the city provides administrative, office and staff support and in-kind equipment contributions. It oversees eight community gardens at a total annual cost of $40,000, which is partially offset by $17,000 in garden revenue each year. Community gardens provide residents of underserved communities the opportunity to grow their own fruits and vegetables, increasing access and affordability.
(Source: Local Government Commission. “Cultivating Community Gardens. The Role of Local Government in Creating Healthy, Livable Neighborhoods.” )
15. Are children of overweight parents more or less likely to be overweight / obese themselves?
Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This
probabilityincreases to 80 percent if at least one parent is overweight or obese
(Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
“Adolescent Health in the US: 2007”. US Dept. of Health and Human Services:
16. What are the California mandated standards for physical activities in public schools?
Minimum P.E. standards mandate 200 minutes of P.E. every 10 days to elementary school children
and 400 minutes every 10 days for middle and high school children.
(Source: California Center for Public Health Advocacy. “Dropping the Ball: Schools Fail to Meet
Physical Education Mandates”. 2006:
(Source: California Dept. of Education. “Physical Education FAQs”:
18. How does the obesity problem affect the nation’s economy?
- Netvibes
- myAOL
The total economic cost of overweight and obesity in the United States is $270 billion per year. The $300 billion total cost in the United States and Canada is the result of: increased need for medical care ($127 billion); loss of worker productivity due to higher rates of death ($49 billion); loss of productivity due to disability of active workers ($43 billion); and loss of productivity due to total disability ($72 billion), said the Society of Actuaries (SOA). When the SOA researchers separated the economic cost of overweight and obesity to the United States in 2009, they found that it was $72 billion for overweight and $198 billion for obesity
(Source: USA Today. Your Life: Health. “Cost of Obesity Approaching $300 Billion a Year”. Jan. 12, 20011: usatoday30.usatoday.com/yourlife/health/medical/2011-01-12-obesity-costs-300-bilion_N.htm)
19. What percentage of overweight teenagers is male/female?
2001-2004 – Male 17.9%; Female 16.0%
(Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
“Adolescent Health in the US: 2007”. US Dept. of Health and Human Services:
20. How many schools/districts are meeting the mandated standards for physical activity?
Of the 41 states that require physical education at the elementary school level, only six meet the recommended guidelines from the National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), according to a new study from the journal of teaching in special education. Only two of the 37 states with mandates for middle school P.E. meet NASPE's recommended 225 minutes per week, the study found. By high school, none of the 41 states meets the 225-minute-per-week recommendation. Of the 41 states with high school P.E. mandates, New Jersey came closest to meeting NASPE's recommendations, falling short by 37.5 minutes per week.
(Source: Bryan Toporek. July 10, 2012. “Few States Physical Education Mandates Meet Recommended Guidelines”. Education Week:
In the midst of California’s growing childhood obesity crisis, ensuring that our children have quality physical education in school must be a top priority. Sadly, however, based on records of the California Department of Education that the California Center for Public Health Advocacy (CCPHA) acquired through a Public Records Act request, more than half the state’s schools assessed in 2004-05 and 2005-06 were failing to meet even minimum P.E. standards by not providing the mandated 200 minutes of P.E. every 10 days to elementary school children. The CDE records reveal a consistent lack of compliance throughout the state, regardless of the school district’s location. In addition to denying California elementary school students an important opportunity for physical activity, the lack of P.E. cheats them of its proven advantages: improved academic and behavioral performance and skill-building that leads to lifelong healthy habits.
(Source: CA Center for Public Health Advocacy: “Dropping the Ball: Schools Fail to Meet Physical Education Mandates ”:
21. How many other states compare to California in their teenage obesity rates?
The most recent data for childhood statistics on astate-by-state level are from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH).According tothat study, obesity rates for children ages 10–17, defined as BMI greater than the 95th percentilefor age group, ranged from a low of 9.6 percent inOregon to a high of 21.9 percent in Mississippi. California Ranks 40th among the 50 states in number of obese teenagers.
(Source: Trust for America's Health. “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future, 2011.
July 2011. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
Obesity 2011Report.pdf)
22. What percentage of LAUSD students are overweight / obese?
26% of 5th, 7th, 9th graders are obese.The rate has gone from 20.2% in 1999 to 26.1% in 2006, from 1 in 5 obese children to over 1 in 4. The obesity rate has increased faster in LAUSD than in any other school district in Los Angeles County. It may soon hit 30%, 1 in every 3 students to be obese if LAUSD does not do anything about this
(Source: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health : publichealth.lacounty.gov/)
23. What are the national health standards for school cafeteria lunches?
Young people spend more time at school than any other place except their homes. More than 90
percent of students eat lunch in school, about 40 percent have a snack, and close to 20 percent
eatbreakfast.This food can make up as much as 40 percent of their daily energy intake.With
theHealthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, schools will have to adhere to new standards for
school meals and snacks. The USDA is required to oversee a transition to healthier school meals,
and schools that comply will be eligible for increased federal reimbursements for school meal
programs. In addition to improving the quality of school meals, the USDA will establish nutritional
standards to govern all foods and beverages served or sold in schools at any time during the day
throughout the school campus, to include vending machines, school stores, and a la carte in the
cafeteria. In addition, local educationagencies (LEAs) will be required to report on nutritional
quality, participation in federal nutrition assistance programs, and other related aspects of food
policy
Today, 20 states and Washington, D.C. have stricter standards than the USDA: Alabama,
Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., Kentucky, Louisiana,
Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South
Carolina,South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Vermont.
(Source: Trust for America's Health. “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future, 2011.
July 2011. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
Obesity 2011Report.pdf)
24. What percentage of overweight/obese teenagers comes from poor families?
In California, 21 percent of teenagers living in low-income families are obese, compared with only 8 percent in middle or high-income families. Low-income families in California have an obesity rate of 21%, a little under 3 times more than middle or high-income families.
(Source: Barbara Cervone. What Kids Can Do, Inc.:
More than 30 percent of low-income California children and teens are overweight or obese
(Source: CA Dept. of Education:
25. What is the ratio of fast food restaurants /convenience stores to supermarkets/produce
markets in CA? How does this compare to other states?
In California there are more fast food restaurants than supermarkets. The number of convenience
stores is 4.18 times the number of produce markets
(Source: January 2007)
Thirty-two states and Washington, D.C. scored at or below the national average for the Modified Retail Food Environment Index (mRFEI), a measure of the proportion of food retailers that typically sell healthy foods. States with lower mRFEI scores tend to have a higher number of convenience stores and fast food restaurants, which generally have few healthy options, and fewer supermarkets, which sell fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy fare.
In CA, the average RFEI of all study participants is 4.5, meaning that they find four times more fast-food and convenience stores than grocery stores and produce vendors when they step out their door. California is home to 14,826 fast-food restaurants and 6,659 convenience stores. By contrast, the state has 3,853 grocery stores and 1,292 produce stands (including farmers’ markets)
(Source: CA Center for Public Health Advocacy. UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. “New Study Finds California Neighborhoods Designed For Disease”. April 2008:
26. What are the economic costs to CA in terms of lost productivity related to obesity?
The cost of lost productivity is about $7.5 billion. But the cost related to obesity is about $3.4 billion.