“These days, it seems as though everybody is talking about overweight and obesity.  Why is it such a big deal?  One in three children is considered obese or overweight as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Overweight children tend to become overweight adults – 70 to 80% of overweight adolescents become overweight adults.  This condition has significant impacts on social, emotional, and physical health of children and adults."                                                                   

OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY

The Pennsylvania Department of Health mandates height and weight screenings annually in all schools, to assess BMI (Body Mass Index) of students and determine who may be at risk for being over- or under-weight. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines overweight and obesity as “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation which may impair health”, caused by an imbalance between the amount of calories consumed and calories expended (used up in activity or exercise). The CDC differentiates childhood overweight into three categories: 

• Overweight:  BMI between the 85th-95th percentile for age and sex
• Obese:  BMI above the 95th percentile for age and sex
• Severe obesity:  BMI above the 99th percentile for age and sex

Being overweight or obese carries significant health issues, which can impact learning, such as 

• bullying
• depression/anxiety
• low self esteem
• asthma
• bone and joint issues
• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol levels
• cardiovascular issues
• type 2 diabetes (which can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, and blindness) 

If you have concerns about your child’s weight, please contact your school nurse and your child’s primary care physician about specific interventions to help improve his/her weight situation.

CDC Healthy Weight website https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/index.html