While the latest survey data doesn’t explain why Americans continue to get heavier, nutritionists and other experts cite lifestyle, genetics, and, most importantly, a poor diet as factors. The latest survey data found that American youth are faring somewhat better than adults. (A severely obese youth is defined as being 120 percent above the 95th percentile of body-mass-index for age and gender.) Obesity rates in this group rose to 13.9 percent in 2015 and 2016 from 10.1 percent in 2007 and 2008. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyScholars who study childhood obesity disagree about whether childhood obesity has plateaued or is increasing.

Source: New York Times March 23, 2018 15:00 UTC