U.S. Teens Heaviest in International Survey

U.S. Teens Heaviest in International Survey
Wed January 07, 2004 02:09 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The U.S. tops the charts in terms of overweight
teens, researchers report.
In a survey of adolescents in 13 European countries, the U.S. and Israel,
the U.S. had the highest percentage of overweight teens. Teens in the
Baltic nation of Lithuania were the slimmest in the survey, according to a
report in the January issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine.

Researchers did not investigate why U.S. teens weigh more than their
counterparts in other countries, but they emphasize the importance of
preventing obesity before adulthood.

"Since most obese adolescents remain obese as adults, this age group is a
very important group to reach through preventive programs addressing issues
of diet and sedentary lifestyles," Dr. Inge Lissau of Copenhagen, Denmark,
and colleagues conclude.

Obesity in adults is known to increase the risk of several illnesses,
including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Although the link between
obesity and disease in adolescence is weaker, teens who are obese are at
high risk of health problems later in life, as 50 percent to 80 percent of
obese teens become obese adults.

The new report summarizes surveys that included a total of more than 29,000
13- and 15-year-old boys and girls. Surveys were conducted from 1997 to
1998 in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Flemish region of
Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Ireland, Israel,
Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and the U.S.

The U.S. led the way in the percentage of overweight adolescents. Among
13-year-olds in the U.S., 12.6 percent of boys and 10.8 percent of girls
were overweight. The same was true in 13.9 percent of 15-year-old boys and
15.1 percent of 15-year-old girls in the U.S.

After the U.S., Greece and Portugal had the highest percentage of
overweight teens.

Teens in Lithuania were the least likely to be overweight, according to the
report. Among 13-year-olds in Lithuania, just 1.8 percent of boys and 2.6
percent of girls were overweight. Among 15-year-olds, just 0.8 percent of
boys and 2.1 percent of girls were overweight.

SOURCE: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, January 2004.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

On 9 Jan 2004 08:21:45 +0100, Jean C wrote:
Did you know that being an idiot leads to erectile dysfunction?
Assuming of course that you have the equipment to begin with...

The rest are male and don't know it.....

LV

Remove "intel" from address to reply

Lady Veteran
- -----------------------------------
"I rode a tank and held a general's rank
when the blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank..."
- -Rolling Stones, Sympathy for the Devil
- ------------------------------------------------
Never attribute to malice that which is adequately
explained by stupidity.---George Heinlien
- -----------------------------------------------
He who thinks by the inch and talks by the
yard deserves to be kicked by the foot.
- Anonymous
- ---------------------------------------------
People who hide behind anonymous remailers and
ridicule fat people are cowardly idiots with no
motive but malice.
- ---------------------------------------------
Reputation is what other people know about you.
Honor is what you know about yourself.
- Lois McMaster Bujold
- ---------------------------------------
I didn't start it, but I may finish it.
- ---------------------------------------------


-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP 8.0 - not licensed for commercial use: www.pgp.com

iQA/AwUBP/61NukoPZAZfLgsEQJaqACeInR947DLm7fQcz4afySATQTnAM8A oOI6
Kj9Bov1DD18We+YnD3F19Eh5
=J6Eq
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----


__________________________________________________ _____________________________
Posted Via Uncensored-News.Com - Accounts Starting At $6.95 - http://www.uncensored-news.com
The Worlds Uncensored News Source