Obesity is on the increase in British youth, especially in girls

Obesity and overweight are increasing among young people in Britain. McCarthy and colleagues (p 624) compared data from two large cross sectional surveys of British youth (aged 11 to 16) spanning a total of 20 years. They found that waist circumference, a measure of central fatness, has increased sharply, particularly in girls, and that it has increased at a greater rate than body mass index. Accumulation of excess central fat may increase future morbidity in British youth. Levels of physical activity may have decreased faster in girls than in boys, and central fatness may be related more to activity than energy intake.

(Credit: DARREL J GEORGIO/PHOTONICA)

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Central overweight and obesity in British youth aged 11-16 years: cross sectional surveys of waist circumference

H David McCarthy, Sandra M Ellis, and Tim J Cole
BMJ 2003 326: 624. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]