Leading Health Indicator 11 Overweight Florida 2010 Goal for Children and Youth Promote the practice of healthy eating and physical activity behavior and habits among children and youth in Florida HP 2010 Goal Promote health and reduce chronic disease associated with diet and weight

In children 6 to 19 years of age, overweight or obesity is defined as at or above the sex-and age-specific 95th percentile of Body Mass Index (BMI) based on CDC Growth Charts: United States. At risk for overweight is defined as having a BMI 7>85% and <95% (by age and sex).(1)

Children who are overweight are at greater risk of obesity as adolescents, as adults and for life-shortening adult health problems such as: cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, gallbladder disease, arthritis, breathing problems and some cancers.^(2-4)   Children who are overweight are at greater risk as children for atypical glucose levels, type 2 diabetes (normally referred to as adult onset diabetes), increased severity of asthma, pancreatitis, hypertension, orthopaedic (bone) problems, reduced academic performance and difficulties in socio-emotional development. Besides smoking, obesity is the most important contributor to the leading causes of adult death — heart disease, cancer and stroke.^{(5, 6)}   Physical inactivity and poor nutrition are the underlying causes for children being overweight. Jeffrey P. Koplan, MD, MPH and former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (1999) called for a national prevention effort to stem the tide of the obesity epidemic. Research shows that 60 percent of overweight 5- to 10-year-old children already have at least one risk factor for heart disease, including hyperlipidemia and elevated blood pressure or insulin levels.⁽⁷⁾

Figure 57: Changes in the U.S. Prevalence of Overweight Children and Adolescents Who Are Overweight Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), Hispanic Health and Nutrition Survey (1982-84) , and the National Examination Survey (1963-65 and 19966-70) and Table 71, Health, United States, 2002 http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overwght99.htm *Data for 1963-65 are for 6 to 11 year olds; data for 1966-70 are for 12 to 17 year olds

Children and youth who are overweight tripled for 6 to 11-year-olds and youth 12 to 17 years of age between 1963 and 2000.