Explosion Of Child Obesity Predicted To Shorten U.S. Life Expectancy
It's been assumed that U.S. life expectancy would rise indefinitely, but a new data analysis, published as a special report in the March 17 New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that this trend is about to reverse itself -- due to the rapid rise in obesity, especially among children.
The researchers based their predictions on data on the prevalence of obesity from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and previously published estimates of years-of-life lost from obesity.
A reduced life expectancy could have implications for such programs as Social Security and Medicare, they suggest.
Minority groups are expected to be hardest hit because of their reduced access to health care and especially sharp increases in childhood and adult obesity.
The long-term consequences of the child obesity epidemic have yet to be seen, says Ludwig, who directs the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) program at Children's Hospital Boston.
Obesity is known to increase risk for heart disease and cancer, and the surge in childhood obesity has already triggered an unprecedented rise in type 2 ("adult") diabetes in children.
Two thirds of American adults today are obese or overweight, and the proportion of people with extreme obesity has risen especially rapidly, the investigators note.
In the past 40 years, fast food, junk food, and soft drinks have become a prominent part of the landscape.
Schools have become purveyors of fast food and soft drinks through contracts with the food and beverage industry that help fund school programs -- even as they cut physical education classes from their curricula to save money.
"This means a fundamental shift in the social environment that will support healthful eating and an active lifestyle.