Skip to content past banner and navigation links * HHS logo U.S. Department of Health & Human Services * NIH logo National Institutes of Health * Contact Us * E-Mail update icon Get Email Alerts * Reduce Text Size Enlarge Text Size Font Size National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Logo Accessible Search Form Search the NHLBI, use radio buttons below to select whole site or Disease and Conditions Index only ____________________ Submit NHLBI Entire Site + NHLBI Entire Site1 + Health Topics2 + News & Resources3 + Intramural Research4 * Public + Health Topics + Educational Campaigns and Programs + Resources + Contact the Health Information Center * Health Professionals + Systematic Evidence Reviews & Clinical Practice Guidelines + Resources + Continuing Education * Researchers + Funding + Training & Career Development + Division of Intramural Research + Research Resources + Scientific Reports + Technology Transfer * Clinical Trials + What are Clinical Trials? + Children & Clinical Studies + NHLBI Trials + Clinical Trial Websites * News and Resources + Press Releases + Spotlight On Research + NHLBI In The News + Events + Spokespeople + Email Alerts + E-Newsletters * About NHLBI + Organization + NHLBI Director + Budget, Planning, & Legislative + Advisory Committees + Contact Us Home » Health Information for the Public » Educational Campaigns & Programs » We Can!® » Healthy Weight Basics » Why Obesity Is a Health Problem We Can!, Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition * About We Can! + Background + Strategies + Founding Sites + Background Materials * Get Started With We Can! + Resources for You + Resources for Your Family + Resources for Your Organization + Resources About Public Programs and Policy * Healthy Weight Basics + What Is a Healthy Weight + Balance Food and Activity + Calculate Body Mass Index + Get Your Family Started + Maintain a Healthy Weight for Life + Why Obesity Is a Health Problem * Eat Right + Choosing Foods for Your Family + Eating Healthy When Eating Out + Food Shopping Tips + Fun Family Recipes + Healthy Cooking and Snacking + Healthy Eating Plans + Limit Fat and Sugar + Serving Sizes and Portions + Portion Distortion + Tips for Eating Right + Use the Nutrition Facts Label * Get Active + Everyday Ideas to Move More + Make Family Time Active Time + Physical Activity Guidelines + Tips for Getting Active * Reduce Screen Time + Tips to Reduce Screen Time * In Your Community + Find A Program Near You * Develop Your Program + City and County Sites + Case Studies + National Partners o National Partners List + Training * For Health Professionals * Tools and Resources + Promotional Materials + Programming Materials + Weight Management + Nutrition + Physical Activity + Reduce Screen Time + Parent Tip Sheets + Materials to Share With Children and Teens + Curricula and Toolkits + Materials for Ethnically Diverse Populations + New PSA Campaign + We Can! Challenge Trivia + Logo Guidelines * News and Events + Media Newsroom o Press Releases o Audio News Releases o Public Service Announcements o Community News Features o Spokespeople + News Archive + eNewsletters + Calendar * facebook icon external disclaimer youtube icon external disclaimer Why Obesity Is a Health Problem Girl and her dad picking an apple from a tree Why should we care about our families' weight? There has been a lot of talk lately about how much heavier Americans are now than in the 1970s. There also has been a lot of news about the health problems linked to obesity. We Can!® is working to make a difference in helping families eat better and move more. Adult Obesity Rates and Statistics According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) (2009-2010), approximately 69% of adults are overweight or obese, with more than 78 million adult Americans considered obese. Childhood Obesity Rates and Statistics Children have become heavier as well. In the past 30 years, the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than doubled among children ages 2 to 5, has nearly tripled among youth ages 6 to 11, and has more than tripled among adolescents ages 12 to 19. However, recent data suggest that the rate of overweight in children did not increase significantly between 1999 and 2008, except in the heaviest boys (BMI for age greater than or equal to the 97th percentile). This rate, though, remains alarmingly high. About 17% of American children ages 2 to 19, or 1 in 6, are obese. Further, the latest data continue to suggest that overweight and obesity are having a greater effect on minorities, including blacks and Hispanics. Health Problems Linked to Obesity Obesity in childhood can add up to health problems—often for life. In adults, overweight and obesity are linked to increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes (high blood sugar), high blood pressure, certain cancers, and other chronic conditions. Research has shown that obese children are more likely to be overweight or obese as adults. Data from the 2005-2006 NHANES survey show that in the United States, nearly 13% of adults age 20 and older have diabetes, but 40% of them have not been diagnosed. Type 2 diabetes (formerly called adult-onset diabetes) accounts for up to 95 percent of all diabetes cases and almost all cases of undiagnosed diabetes. Pre-diabetes, which causes no symptoms, greatly raises the risk of a heart attack or stroke and of developing type 2 diabetes. Though rare in youth ages 12 to 19 years, type 2 diabetes is increasingly being seen in children and adolescents, particularly among minority communities. Moreover, the 2005-2006 NHANES data show that about 16% of these youth have pre-diabetes. In a recent national study, 58% of children diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were obese. The American Environment Your weight is the result of many things working together—the choices you make, your environment, your metabolism (the way your body converts food and oxygen into energy), and your genes. Changes in our environment that make it harder to engage in healthy behavior have a lot to do with our overall increase in weight over the past few decades. For example: * We're an in-the-car and sit-behind-a-desk society. For many of us—parents and children alike—daily life doesn't involve a lot of physical activity and exercise. If we want to be active, we have to make an effort. * Food is everywhere, and so are messages telling us to eat and drink. We can get something to eat in places where it was never available before—like the gas station. Going out to eat or getting carryout is easy. * Food portions at restaurants and at home are bigger than they used to be. To learn how these larger portions impact the calories or energy you take in, visit the Portion Distortion page. Becoming obese doesn't happen overnight. Obesity happens over time when the energy we take in by eating is not in balance with the energy we burn from physical activity. This website provides information and resources about the things parents and communities can do to prevent overweight and obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist size are two numbers that can help you decide if your weight is healthy, or if you need to make some changes. Related Resources Weight Management Tools and Resources Tools to help you manage your family's weight Body Mass Index Calculator Use this calculator from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to determine your Body Mass Index (BMI) Last Updated: February 13, 2013 We Can! is a collaboration between the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Cancer Institute. 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Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition, We Can!, and the We Can! logos are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). * About We Can! * Background * Strategies * Founding Sites * Background Materials * Get Started With We Can! * Resources for You * Resources for Your Family * Resources for Your Organization * Resources About Public Programs and Policy * Healthy Weight Basics * What is a Healthy Weight * Calculate Body Mass Index * Get Your Family Started * Balance Food and Activity * Maintain a Healthy Weight for Life * Why Obesity Is a Health Problem * Eat Right * Choosing Foods for Your Family * Limit Fat and Sugar * Portion Distortion and Serving Size * Healthy Eating Plans * Food Shopping Tips * Use the Nutrition Facts Label * Fun Family Recipes * Healthy Cooking and Snacking * Eating Healthy When Eating Out * Tips for Eating Right * Get Active * Physical Activity Guidelines * Everyday Ideas to Move More * Make Family Time Active Time * Tips for Getting Active * Reduce Screen Time * Tips to Reduce Screen Time * In Your Community * Find A Program Near You * Partner with Us * Local We Can! Community Programs * National Partners * Training * For Health Professionals * Tools & Resources * Promotional Materials * Programming Materials * Weight Management * Nutrition * Physical Activity * Reduce Screen Time * Parent Tip Sheets * Materials to Share With Children and Teens * Curricula and Toolkits * New PSA Campaign * We Can! Challenge Trivia * Logo Guidelines * News and Events * Media Newsroom * News Archive * eNewsletters * Calendar * We Can! Social Media * facebook icon Facebook * youtube icon YouTube * Contact Us * nhlbiinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov * Phone: 301-592-8573 * TTY: 240-629-3255 * Mail: NHLBI Health Information Center Attention: Website P.O. 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