A Third of American Babies Overweight

The epidemic of obesity engulfing the United States does not bypass children – this fact has been revealed in a study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion. The results of the study conducted by Wayne State University scientists show that approximately one third of American children are either overweight or obese.

Speaking precisely, 32% of the US children 9 months of age were found to be obese or manifesting a high risk of obesity; 34% of this number show the likelihood of developing obesity by the time they are 2 years old. Nevertheless, of the 9-month-old children who were registered overweight not all retained this condition when they turned 2. With obese children, though, the rate of those remaining obese by the age of 2 is considerably higher, reaching 44%.

The findings of this study countermand the results of a previous study carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that rated obesity with children within 2 – 5 year range at nearly 12%.

Those statistics make experts accentuate the grave importance of childhood obesity and designate it as one of major health issues of the country.

Lead researcher Brian G. Moss pointed out the advantages of trying to bring down obesity at the earliest stages of kids’ lives instead of applying treatment when they are already obese. He also reminded that one of the causes of early obesity is “improper early introduction of cereal” when added to the baby’s bottle.

Source of the image: Cbsnews.