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(Circulation. 2009;119:2114-2123.)
© 2009 American Heart Association, Inc.

AHA Conference Proceedings

American Heart Association Childhood Obesity Research Summit

Executive Summary

Stephen R. Daniels, MD, PhD, FAHA, Chair; Marc S. Jacobson, MD, FAHA; Brian W. McCrindle, MD, MPH, FAHA; Robert H. Eckel, MD, FAHA; Brigid McHugh Sanner, BS

Key Words: AHA Conference Proceedings • children • obesity

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

	Introduction

 
Childhood obesity is one of the most pressing health threats facing the United States. Today, one third of American children and adolescents are obese or overweight. Over the past 30 years, the prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled for children 2 to 5 years of age and youth 12 to 19 years of age, and it has quadrupled for children 6 to 11 years old.¹

	The Problem: Childhood Obesity—A Burgeoning Epidemic

 
Overweight children and adolescents are at risk for significant health problems both during their youth and as adults:

• Overweight children and adolescents are more likely than other children and adolescents to have risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease (eg, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes mellitus).²
  
• Overweight children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults.^3,4
  
• Studies document the link between obesity and poor school performance and unhealthy or risky behaviors such as alcohol use, tobacco use, premature sexual behavior, inappropriate dieting practices, and physical inactivity.^5,6
  
• Overweight children and adolescents may experience other health conditions associated with increased weight, which include asthma, hepatic steatosis, sleep apnea, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
  
• Obesity puts children at long-term higher risk for chronic conditions such as stroke; breast, colon, and kidney cancers; musculoskeletal disorders; and gall bladder disease.
  

As part of its strategic focus on childhood obesity, particularly the prevention of childhood obesity, the American Heart Association convened a Childhood Obesity Research Summit to examine research opportunities where the obesity epidemic intersects with the healthcare system. The Childhood Obesity Research Summit provided an . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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