Weighing in on Health
People who maintain a healthy weight throughout life tend to
stay healthier and live longer. The lifestyle habits that help keep us
slim—exercise and a healthy diet—also cut our risk of diabetes,
heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.
The prevalence of obesity among our nation’s youth has tripled in the past
30 years.3
Too many children today have a reduced life expectancy and a
diminished overall quality of life due to excess weight. Childhood obesity
can lead to certain cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, high
cholesterol, and abnormal glucose tolerance or diabetes. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention recently found that 70 percent of obese
children had at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor for heart
disease, such as raised blood pressure or insulin levels, while 30 percent
presented two or more additional risk factors.4