Prevalence of High Body Mass Index Among Children and Teens Remains Steady

Kudos, fatsos. You are keeping your kids in jeopardy.

The prevalence of high weight for length or high body mass index (BMI) among children and teens in the U.S. (i.e., at or above the 95th percentile), ranges from approximately 10 percent for infants and toddlers, to approximately 18 percent for adolescents and teenagers, although these rates appear to have remained relatively stable over the past 10 years, except for an increase for 6- to 19-year-old boys who are at the very heaviest weight levels, according to a study appearing in the January 20 issue of JAMA.

The study is being published early online because of its public health importance.

"High BMI among children and adolescents continues to be a public health concern in the United States. Children with high BMI often become obese adults, and obese adults are at risk for many chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers," the authors write. "Since 1980, the prevalence of BMI for age at or above the 95th percentile (sometimes termed 'obese') has tripled among school-age children and adolescents, and it remains high at approximately 17 percent. However, the prevalence of BMI for age at or above the 95th percentile among children and adolescents showed no significant changes between 1999 and 2006 for both boys and girls or among non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Mexican American individuals."

Of course, the AMA, publisher of JAMA, is nowhere near blameless.

It, like the other stakeholders with a vested interest in keeping us fat, has prevented the public from losing weight by making impossible weight loss suggestions.

See here, here, here, here, here, here and here, for examples.

To put it and the others out of business while helping yourself succeed at weight loss, go here, here, here, here, here and here.

Then go here to start complaining and here to fight back even more.