Childhood Obesity Growing In United States

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Recently there have been several reports which have suggested that the childhood obesity rate was declining.

Unfortunately this is not the case.

According to a report in the journal Pediatrics, the childhood obesity rate has risen in the United States between 2014 and 2016 by almost five percent.

This is a problem that is occurring throughout much of the world as well.

For instance, the obesity epidemic in Ireland is growing and in that country it has been dramatic.

There has been a 62 percent increase in childhood obesity since 2007.

The lesson here is one that we must listen to. With obesity comes a variety of health problems including increasing risks of diabetes and heart disease.

When obesity attacks at younger ages, the problems occur at younger ages.

We need to look at this issue very closely and make changes in diet, the amount of exercise children receive, and most importantly the types of food their eating.