It's the Kids' Fault! (But What If It Isn't?...)

摘要

Somebody must be to blame for epidemic childhood obesity. Perhaps we can blame the kids. Before we make that decision, let's acknowledge that obesity in general, and childhood obesity in particular, is an emergency in slow motion, but an emergency just the same. This readership is reliably familiar with its grim scope, grim trends, and grim toll.1 Whether at this point we still call obesity an epidemic, or bite the next bullet and call it a hyperendemic, a bona fide emergency it is. The consequences are protean, but concisely epitomized by noting that what was "adult onset" diabetes less than a generation ago is now routinely diagnosed in children under age 10. If one chronic disease can follow obesity down the age curve, so can others.