Final answer:
Obesity rates among children have tripled since the 80s. This increase has led to a higher prevalence of related health issues such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Efforts to address and reduce childhood obesity are essential to improve health outcomes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The obesity rates among children have tripled since the 80s and are now at 17%. In the 1980s, the rate of obesity in teenagers began a rapid increase, leading to a significant health crisis. By 2010, statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that nearly 36 percent of adults over 20 years old were obese, with the level of childhood obesity also rising. This growing trend is linked with various health issues, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease, particularly in vulnerable populations.
It has been identified that the highest levels of obesity are found in the southern states of the U.S., and it is a concerning fact that a body weight at least 20 percent higher than a healthy weight for a child of that height is considered obese. This trend indicates a distressing shift in the average body weight of children today in comparison to earlier generations, emphasizing the need for intervention and education regarding metabolism, obesity, and healthy lifestyles.