1 in 3 children in the U.S. is overweight or obese

Childhood obesity remains an unprecedented public health crisis

Reports & Research

California Report Card, 2010

The Impact of Industry Self-Regulation on the Nutritional Quality of Foods Advertised on Television to Children, 2009

California County Scorecard of Children’s Well-Being, 2008

California County Data Book, 2007

Facts & Figures

Students who pass the Physical Fitness Test have higher California Standardized Test scores than those who fail the PFT.

While the majority of California’s children report living near a park or playground that is safe during the day, only half of California’s children report having a park or playground nearby that is safe at night.

One million, or roughly 12% of California’s children, are obese or overweight.

Nationally, one-third of high schools have at least one fast-food restaurant or convenience store within walking distance of the school. Schools in low-income communities have more fast-food restaurants and convenience stores than schools located in higher income communities.

Between 2005 and 2009, ads for fast foods and fast-food restaurants in children’s programming increased by 15% and ads for sugared snacks decreased by 11%.

The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that teens get 60 minutes of activity five or more days a week. Yet, on average, California teens get 60 minutes of activity only 3.7 days a week.

While The National Recreation and Park Association recommends that communities have at least six to 10 acres of open space per 1,000 residents, some low-income communities in southern California have as little as 1.2 acres per 1,000 residents.

Schools within one-tenth of a mile of fast-food restaurants have a 5% increase in their rate of childhood obesity.

Sugared cereals, fast foods and fast-food restaurants, and sugared snacks continue to dominate the majority of food advertisements on children’s television programs.

Obesity rates among California adolescents, ages 12-17, have remained relatively flat since 2001.

Lower income communities, including predominantly Latino and African American communities, often have fewer resources to support active lifestyles and public places to play.

In 2008-09, more than half of California’s public school children (nearly 3.3 million) participated in the Free and Reduced Price Meals Program.

Television advertising influences children’s food and beverage preferences, purchase requests, and consumption habits.

Significant income disparities exist in the prevalence of obesity. In California, teens in families at or below the FPL are almost three times as likely to be obese as teens at 300% or above the FPL.

Research has linked the eating habits of teenagers to those of their parents. Adolescents whose parents drink one soda a day are 11% more likely to eat fast food at least once a week than adolescents whose parents do not drink soda.

Over two-thirds of food and beverage products promoted by companies that participate in the self-regulatory Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative are for unhealthy or Whoa products.

Policy Priorities

Create and fund a statewide system to ensure every child has access to comprehensive, affordable health care.

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Without effective intervention, childhood obesity will dramatically impact all children’s futures, resulting in deep social, physical, and economic costs for our society as a whole. Currently, childhood obesity is expected to result in the first generation of Americans whose life expectancy is shorter than that of their parents.

Fortunately, growing awareness and attention to the crisis is leading to action. These efforts take a variety of forms and address everything from individual decision-making about food choices and physical activity to system-wide policy reform.

The high human & economic costs of the epidemic

Overweight children are much more likely to develop severe health issues such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea and asthma. Additionally, being overweight often undermines children’s social and emotional well-being by increasing the likelihood that they will be stigmatized by their peers, thus lowering their self-esteem and interfering with their academic achievement and successful transition to adulthood.

Medical expenses attributable to obesity cost Californians $7.7 billion each year.

Beyond the human toll, the economic costs of obesity are staggering. For example, medical expenses attributable to obesity cost Californians $7.7 billion each year. Moreover, these costs are increasing rapidly. Between 1999 and 2005, charges for obesity-related hospitalizations almost doubled.

While there is clear consensus that the epidemic must be addressed, the sheer number and scope of contributing factors—from the prevalence of fast-food restaurants, to unhealthy food advertising targeted to children, to limited opportunities for physical activities, to new time pressures on families that limit healthy eating—makes it very difficult to do so.

Figure: The Complexity of the Childhood Obesity Issue
(Click to enlarge image)

The good news, however, is that many steps can be taken now to combat childhood obesity. These include:

Promoting the development of communities that increase access to healthy foods, safe parks, open spaces, safe routes to school, and pedestrian-friendly streets;

Creating schools that provide children with healthy food options and numerous opportunities for physical activity; and

Creating a media environment that promotes healthy food choices and nutrition, while minimizing advertising for unhealthy foods.

These steps are best taken in concert, with collaboration across multiple systems. But, research suggests that even small changes can make a difference.