Prevalence and Trends in Overweight Among US Children and Adolescents, 1999-2000

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Abstract
The prevalence of overweight among children in the United States has been increasing. Between the 1960s and 1988-1994, the prevalence among 6- through 11-year-old children increased from 4% to 11%. During this same period, the prevalence among 12- through 19-year-olds increased from 5% to 11%.1 Overweight children often become overweight adults,2 and overweight in adulthood is a health risk.3 Although childhood overweight may not result in adult health risk,4 immediate consequences of overweight in childhood are often psychosocial and also include cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, high cholesterol levels, and abnormal glucose tolerance.5
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