Child obesity continues to climb; kids 10 to 17 hit hard by snacking

The rates of childhood obesity continue to climb, say public health researchers.

Snacking habits are partly to blame. One study in Health Affairs shows that more than 27 percent of children's daily calories come from snacks, with desserts and sweetened beverages remaining the major sources of calories from snacks. Another study questions the quality of the food in school lunch programs.

Pubic health officials continue to sound an alarm about childhood obesity. Data from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health show that an estimated 10.58 million children--one in three, ages 10 to 17--were overweight or obese in 2007.

"Our findings suggest that the obesity epidemic among children may not yet have reached its plateau for some groups of children. The data also reveal persistent and highly variable disparities in childhood overweight and obesity within and among states, associated with socioeconomic status, school outcomes, neighborhoods, type of health insurance, and quality of care. This requires policy makers' attention nationally and within states," researchers write.

source: blog.syracuse