Researchers looked at National Health and Nutrition Survey data on 12,384 youths, ages 2 to 19 years and found that severe obesity rates were up from .8% from 1976-1980 and up 3.8% from 1999-2004. The measured severe obesity as a BMI (body mass index) that is equal to or greater than 99 percentile for age and gender. These findings could mean that over 2.7 million children in the U.S are severely obese.

Severe obesity puts children at risk for such medical problems as diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and even possibly an early death.

According to the study, black and Mexican-American children had the largest increases in severe obesity as well as children who come from families that are below poverty level.

The frightening thing about this study is that children are no longer only becoming obese, but they are becoming severely obese. This has prompted doctors and experts to reinforce the fact that medically based programs are needed to help educate children and treat the obesity problem.

    

As someone from a Latino and Black family I feel a need to interject here. People of Color tend to have lower incomes overall than that of their White counterparts. This results in being able to afford cheaper quality of foods rather than fresh ones. Also, if you don't have a car, you can't drive yourself to the health food store. You're stuck with the corner store to feed your kids.

Your article says that we need to educate our kids and families. No. We need to have a more equal society that allows low-income families and families of Color the opportunities to be able to afford and get to stores that sell healthy products.