Obesity in children and adolescents

Key Points

• Obesity is linked to several adverse health outcomes, including diabetes and heart disease, in children and adolescents.
• Approximately 20% of children ages 6-19 in the U.S. are classified as obese, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this issue.
• Observational analysis reveals that higher rates of obesity are associated with lower levels of physical activity and poor nutrition among youths.
• Highlighting the need for community-level interventions, this analysis calls for strategies to promote healthy behaviors in children and adolescents.