Study Says High Calorie Snacks Are to Blame for Obesity Epidemic
Childhood obesity continues to spread in the U.S. and elsewhere. A new study finds excessive snacking is the main culprit. One in three children in the United States is overweight or obese. A new study shows that some obese children as young as three have early warning signs for heart disease. Other studies show that obese children are more likely to stay obese as adults. Researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill studied the eating habits of American children over a 30-year period. They looked at data on 31,000 children between the ages of two and 18. They found that desserts and sweetened drinks remain the major source of calories from snacks. Not far behind are salty snacks and candy.