Obese Kids Twice as Likely to Die Before Age 55

     A newly published study followed almost 5,000 American Indian kids from their childhoods till adulthood.  They found that kids who were fat were twice as likely to die before age 55 from related diseases.

     They measured the kids for body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels from 11 years old and up. The most telling were the high body mass index and the glucose levels.

     Michelle Obama wants to tackle this problem with a new program of her own, called " Let's Move". It is her hope to encourage kids and families to eliminate junk food, get the proper nutrition, and to exercise as part of a daily routine.

     It was also mentioned that studying American Indians is both a good thing and a bad thing. American Indians are usually poor and a lot of them end up with alcoholism before they even reach adulthood. The good thing about studying this group is that their bodies are built more like Hispanics who tend to be a shorter group and have a higher body bass index than taller people. Let's face it, I'm heavy at 5'2. If I were a foot taller I would look thinner even though I ate the same.

     It was also noted that an important similarity is they are poor like many African and Hispanic Americans, and either don't have access to or can't afford to eat more nutritious foods. Also who wants to play outside or take a walk in the neighborhoods in which they live, when they get gunned down on their own front porches or in their homes?

Photo by Colros