HEALTH TRENDS

Did you know?

• Today, one of every three U.S. children is overweight.
• Obesity rates in America have tripled in the past 30 years.
• $150 million dollars is spent every year treating obesity-related conditions, which doesn’t include loss of quality of life and years of life.
• Almost half of U.S. women today begin pregnancy overweight or obese, increasing the likelihood that their children will be obese.
• Obesity rates disguise the impact on minorities, who suffer disproportionately. In California, 30.5% of children are overweight or obese, but by race, 39.9% of Hispanic kids are overweight or obese, as are 34.4% of black kids and 18.4% of white kids.
• Obese children are twice as likely to repeat a grade in school.
• The likelihood of being overweight or obese is greater if a child has a TV in his bedroom or watches
  more than two hours a day (41% greater odds), if he's from a single-mom family (25% greater odds),
  or if he lives in a neighborhood without a park or recreation center (21% greater odds).
• Nationally, the highest rates of childhood obesity are found in children who are black (41.1%),
  Spanish-speaking Hispanic (45%), living below the poverty level (44.8%), publicly insured (43.2%),
  and those who did not participate in activities outside of school (40.3%).

For information on Obesity Trends in Los Angeles, please read these documents
from the LA County of Public Health:

The Obesity Epidemic in Los Angeles County Adults

Childhood Obesity: Tipping the Balance toward Healthy, Active Children