Preschoolers are Getting Obese

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According to pediatric endocrinologists at the University at Buffalo, children as young as three are obese. They have shown that children as young as 10 have abnormal liver function and high insulin levels—possibly leading to type II diabetes. These findings were presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting being held May 3, 2003 in Seattle.

Between 16% and 33% of U.S. children and adolescents are obese, according to statistics. Childhood obesity is rising at an alarming rate. In general, obese children have obese parents. This has serious consequences for our future health care costs because overweight children are likely to become overweight adults, with all of the health problems associated with adult obesity.

The University of Buffalo researchers compiled information about obese children and followed their clinical outcomes. They reviewed the medical records of 385 children who were seen by endocrinologists at the hospital between 1984 and 2002.