Childhood obesity: nursing policy implications.

摘要

Obesity has emerged as a deadly epidemic and threatens the health of children in the United States. Between 1986 and 2000, the prevalence of severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] >40 kg/m~2) quadrupled from 1 in 200 Americans to 1 in 50. Adults with a BMI of 50 kg/m~2 or higher increased by a factor of 5 from 1 in 2,000 to 1 ha 400 (Sturm, 2003; Hedley, Ogden, Johnson, Carroll, Curtin & Flegal, 2004). Increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity were similar in children and adolescents. Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of overweight in pediatric-age groups has nearly tripled (Inge, Garcia, & Daniels, 2004). At present, approximately 9 million children older than 6 years are considered obese (Committee on the Prevention of Obesity in Children and Youth, 2004).