Can we PLEASE change the definition of childhood obesity?

Can we PLEASE change the definition of childhood obesity? Pretty please? Why, you ask? Let the explanation begin. First things first... we must agree that America is in the middle (or the beginning) of an obesity epidemic.

The latest data shows that more than one third of American adults are now considered to be medically obese. What that means is that one out of three American adults now have a body mass index (BMI) in excess of 30. BMI is a way of looking at weight for height. A healthy BMI runs from 18.9 - 24.9. An overweight BMI runs from 25 - 29.9. A fat reduction review can help you construct a clear describe of what you demand to focus on to achieve your fat reduction purpose if you're a rookie; or serve as a reminder for those who are at an advanced or more boost stage of their losing weight program. Following are seven steps that can serve as suggestions for your special weight loss plan. The first thing that one must understand is that losing weight and losing fat is not the same thing. Many weight loss plans have fooled people into wondering that it is the same, but most diets and weight loss applications only work by leading to a person's body to eliminate more muscle flesh and water than actual body fat, more help please visit The Fat Loss Factor. It is a simple measurement. The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute has an online BMI calculator.

However, when it comes to childhood obesity, our national leaders are more than a little confused. Instead of sticking to the easy to maintain definition of a healthy weight for a particular height, they get all "technical" by trying to change the definition to depend upon the word "percentile."

Most Americans do not even understand the concept of "percentile" - and the folks dealing with childhood obesity unwittingly prove the point. In the field of statistics, the term "percentile" is a valuable tool. In the hands of Washington bureaurocrats, however, it is a blunt edged instrument to demonstrate their ignorance.

When we took standardized tests in school, we got reports back which told us how we scored. In addition to the standard score, we got scored against our peers based on percentile. If we scored in the 95th percentile, it meant that we scored better than 95 percent of those who took the test on that subject. Or, more likely for the average, we scored in the 50th percentile. That means that half the people scored above us and half scored below us. This is a common definition for "average".

If you go to just about any government website dealing with childhood obesity, it will invariably contain the following definition:

"Obesity is defined as body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile... and children with BMI between the 85th and 95th percentile are classified as overweight."

Then, the website will go on to claim that, depending on which state you choose, the percentile of overweight and obese children runs from a low of 23.1% for Utah and Minnesota to a high of 44.4% for Mississippi. In other words, their definition of overweight and obese is those in the top 15% of the population of children in America... and, wait for it, around 33% of our children fit into to this mythical 15 percent.

It is time to drop the "percentile" part of the definition. Our health care professionals have decades worth of data to determine healthy weights for corresponding heights in relation to American children. Just give us the "skinny" on the reality of the situation. Please. This is a serious situation and needs to be addressed in a straightforward way that is easy to understand for the average American.

Two out of three American adults are now considered to be overweight, and one third are considered to be medically obese. Traditionally, the rate for children has been much lower in the US, with the extra pounds typically coming on after adulthood. If one third of our kids are already overweight now, the overweight and obese rating of the future look to be staggeringly high. We already spend an inordinate amount of money on our national health, but that number will skyrocket in the future due to the traditional chronic ailments which come with extra pounds.

Please, can we take this seriously? Seriously enough to make sense to the average American? Please? The First Lady, Michelle Obama, has childhood obesity as her "issue" - maybe she can help. The future of our nation may very well depend upon it.

Obesity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy ...
CDC - Obesity - Facts - Adolescent and School Health
www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/facts.htm
Feb 19, 2013 Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. 1, 2; The percentage of children aged 611 years
Child Behavior Modification Program for Defiant Children and Teens
www.thetotaltransformation.com
The Total Transformation is a child behavior modification program for defiant child behavior problems like oppositional defiance disorder and child anger issues.
Barack Obama
www.barackobama.comIssues Contact Us
The next big step for our grassroots movement is being launched: Organizing for Action.
Obesity and Overweight: Topics - DNPAO - CDC
www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html
Nutrition Good nutrition is vital to good health, disease prevention, and essential for healthy growth and development of children and adolescents.
Motivation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motivation
Motivation is a psychological feature that arouses an organism to act towards a desired goal and elicits, controls, and sustains certain goal-directed behaviors. It ...
Looking for your Purpose in Life, the Meaning of a Name, Meaning ...
www.kabalarians.com
If you are searching for your purpose in life, looking into the meaning of baby names, wanting to make a name change, or just interested in name meaning, we can help ...
HOME - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxENMKaeCU
We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the ...
Free The Children
www.freethechildren.com
Description of programs dedicated toward eliminating the exploitation of children around the world, by encouraging children to volunteer in and create programs and ...
FORMER SALVATION ARMY OFFICERS FELLOWSHIP
fsaof.blogspot.com
YEAR 2012 REPORT Dr. Paul Thistle shared the below report with a Rotary Club in his native Canada.
Healthy Vending Machines Buy A Vending Machine Franchise
freshvending.com
Make a difference and a profit with a Fresh Healthy Vending franchise. More than vending machines for sale it's a revolution! Join in today!
CPSIA - Comments & Observations
learningresourcesinc.blogspot.com
Sadly, after four years of CPSIA advocacy, its finally time to say farewell. The timing of my goodbye comes as we approach the third anniversary of
Bluestockings Events Calendar
bluestockings.com/event
172 Allen St. New York, NY 10002 212.777.6028 Open Every Day 11am - 11pm
Obesity.org
www.obesity.org
The Obesity Society is the leading scientific society dedicated to the study of obesity. Since 1982, The Obesity Society has been committed to encouraging research on ...
Welcome to HeadLice.org
www.headlice.orgFAQs Kids
The non-profit National Pediculosis Association offers head lice help. News, FAQs about lice and scabies, and a children's section.
Language Define Language at Dictionary.com
dictionary.reference.com/browse/language
noun 1. a body of words and the systems for their use common to a people who are of the same community or nation, the same geographical area, or the same cultural ...
Inauguration Speech: Obama Starts Second Term With Remarks
www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/inauguration-speech_n_2491757.html
Jan 21, 2013 President Barack Obama marked the start of his second term with an inaugural speech at the U.S. Capitol. Obama weighed in on "what makes us
Obesity statistics - Countries Compared - NationMaster
www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_obe
Wide selection of Health stats. View figures, bar graphs, maps, correlations.
Home ChangeLab Solutions
changelabsolutions.org
ChangeLab Solutions provides community-based solutions for Americas most common and preventable diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and asthma.
Online Student Edition - Glencoe/McGraw-Hill
glencoe.com/ose
Teacher Login / Registration : Teachers: If your school or district has purchased print student editions, register now to access the full online version of the book.
Sponsor a Child Child Sponsorship Program World Vision
www.worldvision.orgCareers My World Vision Contact Us Donations: Gift Catalog
Sponsor a child and help fight world hunger through your donations that support World Vision's aid, child nutrition and agricultural solutions around the world.
Avaaz - The World in Action
www.avaaz.org
Avaaz is the campaigning community bringing people-powered politics to decision making worldwide.