More American children and teens aren't just obese. They're morbidly obese.

[Tennis]

Public health researchers cheered an encouraging trend recently: Childhood obesity rates, which rose steadily through the 1980s and 1990s, seemed to have plateaued in the 2000s.

But new research suggests a different, troubling problem lurking behind that plateau — a steep rise in the rates of severe obesity, particularly among older and minority children.

The fraction of adolescents with severe obesity — a body mass index of 40 or greater — has more than doubled from 0.9 percent in 1999 to 2.4 percent in 2013 and 2014.

According to William Dietz, an expert on obesity and director of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at George Washington University, the data included in the report suggests that over 6 million children and adolescents could suffer from severe obesity.

"The prevalence of obesity has remained constant, but severe obesity is increasing," said Dietz. "Kids who already have obesity seem to be getting more severe."

Since 2004, the number of children that have BMIs of 30 or greater has hovered around 17 percent, experiencing marginal change from year to year. But what has changed dramatically since 2004 (and even before) is the percentage of children with extremely high BMIs.
Without intervention obesity typically worsens, and contributing factors can be psychological

Kids who develop obesity at an early age are more at risk of developing severe obesity over time, gaining weight as they grown into teenagers, study co-author Asheley Skinner says.

For example, if a child has a BMI over 30 when he or she is five, chances are that without medical intervention, the child's BMI levels will surpass 35 or 40 as he or she enters adolescence.

"Kids with more severe forms of obesity are first developing obesity at younger ages and it gets worse and worse over time," said Skinner. "We live in a world where kids aren’t as active and it's easy for obesity to get continuously worse."

Additionally, once a child or teenager has severe obesity, it's a much more challenging disease to treat because of factors ranging from cardiovascular and metabolic complications to underlying psychological issues. As Dietz told me, adverse childhood experiences like sexual violence, verbal abuse, divorce, hunger, and homelessness can all contribute to a child's obesity.

"A significant proportion — about 20 percent of severe obesity in adults — is the result of adverse childhood experiences," said Dietz. "And my guess is it’s even greater."

Chart showing increase in severe obesity levels in children and teens Sarah Frostenson/Vox

Both Hispanic and black children have higher rates of prevalence for more severe forms of obesity than their white counterparts.

In 2013 to 2014, 3.5 percent of black children included in the study were found to have BMIs greater than 40. This was nearly a whole percentage point higher than any other race or ethnicity examined in the study. Additionally, 8.6 percent of Hispanic children had a BMI greater than 35, and in total, 41.8 percent of Hispanic children in the study were classified as overweight.

Dietz said there are significant ethnic differences in the prevalence of obesity. In adult women, the highest rates of obesity are among African-American women, meaning many of the racial and ethnic disparities in childhood obesity carry on into adulthood.
Health care practitioners don't have the resources to treat obesity properly

Data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality indicates that health care practitioners are inadequately prepared to treat patients with severe obesity. The agency estimates there are approximately 125,000 primary care pediatricians and family practitioners in the US, which means the average primary care practice may treat up to 50 pediatric patients with severe obesity.

Skinner says this places an undue burden on primary care physicians, as on average a child suffering from severe obesity needs at least 26 hours of intervention. A primary care provider will not be able to have that much contact with a patient. "You're going to need a clinical intervention," says Skinner. "Or a specialty weight loss clinic or intervention in the community that is particular to a child."

As Dietz laments, "We lack a standard of care for children and teenagers with obesity. It’s a big problem and there is not an immediate solution."

http://www.vox.com/2016/4/26/1149020...morbidly-obese

This crisis has no end. It's time to look into extreme measures.

[Cybran]

Stuffing your face with hot salted grease and washing it down with corn syrup is an american freedom (it's somewhere in the constitution i believe). You can never take that away from them.

[zenkai]

Stuffing your face with hot salted grease and washing it down with corn syrup is an american freedom (it's somewhere in the constitution i believe). You can never take that away from them.

Yup, that's how we all are, I walk around the city and all I see is morbidly obese people on rascals.

[thilicen]

Well, coming from a country that at one point classified Pizza as a vegetable during school lunch due to there being one or two pieces of lettuce on it, not that shocking. (Do they still do that?)

[zenkai]

Well, coming from a country that at one point classified Pizza as a vegetable during school lunch due to there being one or two pieces of lettuce on it, not that shocking. (Do they still do that?)

Lettuce on Pizza? God my head hurts

[Dystemper]

Stuffing your face with hot salted grease and washing it down with corn syrup is an american freedom (it's somewhere in the constitution i believe). You can never take that away from them.

Its not just the USA, it is a as much of a problem in the EU now as well in other parts of the world. The biggest scam ever played on the Citizens of the USA was the low fat high carb diet was healthy

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And it has to do more with the intake of carbs and sugars then eating greasy or salty meats. So many dietary claims made by the Government that they are now reversing their stance on eating Fat and eliminating the claims that sodium increases BP and that cholesterol is as bad as they said.

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Lettuce on Pizza? God my head hurts

I like fresh Basil leaves on mine

[Ripster42]

Lettuce on Pizza? God my head hurts

You've never had taco pizza?

[lonely zergling]

Extreme measures are no solution... didnt we learn that from the austrian moustache guy?

[Tennis]

Extreme measures are no solution... didnt we learn that from the austrian moustache guy?

Non extreme measures aren't working.

[I Push Buttons]

And it has to do more with the intake of carbs and sugars then eating greasy or salty meats. So many dietary claims made by the Government that they are now reversing their stance on eating Fat and eliminating the claims that sodium increases BP and that cholesterol is as bad as they said.

No it has to do with simply eating and drinking too much. Calories in calories out buddy.

Fats and oils have far more calories than most things, which is where the stigma develops, but a lot of people get a shit ton of empty calories... They drink several cans of normal soda a day, hundreds of calories from something of zero nutritional value.

Then the big problem with us is that a lot of us suck with portion control/self-control... Instead of eating a cheeseburger for dinner they eat three of them... Instead of eating a slice or two of pizza they eat an entire pizza.

Its not even about eating healthy or avoiding certain things... If you consume less calories than you burn, you will not gain weight, its that simple. Sure if all you eat are candy and potato chips, even if you don't gain any weight, other bad shit is going to happen to you... But the problem in the US is that we just eat and drink so much, not that we eat the wrong things.

[Deleted]

They excel at being obese, what's wrong with that?

[Grimbold21]

Well, look at this, the day he comes back a thread on rape, another on obesity and lastly on Canada. Do a few more and you should get your ban in no time

[GennGreymane]

Well, look at this, the day he comes back a thread on rape, another on obesity and lastly on Canada. Do a few more and you should get your ban in no time

None of the topics are bannable.

[Barbariangreataxe]

They excel at being obese, what's wrong with that?

Exactly. This is a fine example of America's greatness. Everything we do, we do big.

[Grimbold21]

None of the topics are bannable.

No, but the poster is.

[GennGreymane]

No, but the poster is.

Sounds like suppression.

[Grimbold21]

Sounds like suppression.

Sounds perfect.

[GennGreymane]

Best of luck with it.

[Deleted]

I see Tennisace is back and on form

[Deleted]

Take a trip to mexico. Never seen so many fat children and teens in my life. Even saw a kid having to use a crutch because he was so fat his knees most likely started to give in.