Being overweight not only affects a child's physical health; overweight kids often suffer mentally and socially as well.

• Overweight children are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis and sleep apnea.


• High blood pressure and high cholesterol increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.


• Overweight kids are also at a higher risk for some types of cancer in adulthood, including breast, endometrial, colon, gall bladder, prostate and kidney cancer.


• The National Cancer Institute estimated in 2002 that about 4,000 new cases of cancer in the U.S. annually are caused by obesity.


• 325,000 people die from obesity each year.

• Discrimination and teasing from peers can cause an overweight child to have low self-esteem and a poor body image, which can lead to depression.


• Children who are overweight become tired faster, so they have difficulty playing sports and keeping up in phys. ed. class.


• Media-driven images of sleek supermodels and muscular athletes can put enormous pressure on girls and boys to be thin, increasing the risk for eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.