Obesity can be defined simply as a disease in which excess body fat has accumulated to an extent that health is adversely affected (World Health Organization 1998). In reality, however, obesity is a complex, heterogeneous condition where health risks vary according to the degree of excess fatness, regional distribution of fat stores within the body, and age of onset/duration of obesity.      The majority of causes are due to overeating. This may be related to the wide availability of cheaper and more varied foods of a less nutritious value (increased fat). Overeating due to anxiety may also be a factor. People are also expending less energy due to the increased popularity of sedentary pastimes such as watching television, or using personal computers. More people use cars as opposed to walking and fewer people take regular exercise. There is an association of obesity within families and this may be partly genetic and partly due to lifestyle      With today’s emphasis of the media, as well as the fashion industry on body image, peer approval is critically important to an adolescent. As teenagers long for their friends’ acceptance, a sense of insecurity transpires. However, with the increasing prevalence of adolescent obesity in North America, the medical community is now paying attention to this growing pandemic since the late 1990’s and early 2000.      According to the National Center for Health Statistics (2002) an estimated sixteen percent of children and adolescents ages six to nineteen years of age are overweight. The past 25 years have seen a considerable increase in the percentage of Canadian children and adolescents who are overweight or obese. The increase was particularly notable among 12- to 17-year-olds, whose overweight/obesity rate more than doubled, and whose obesity rate tripled.      Adolescent obesity is measured based on Body Mass Index (BMI) for age, and it is assessed in relation to the weight of other children of a similar age and gender. In the past, obesity has been simply described as the result of improper nutritional intake and lack of activity. But the fact that there is a rapid rise of this problem, despite increasing knowledge, awareness, and education suggest that a paradigm shift is necessary to understand and tackle the problem (Egger & Swinburn, 1997). This health issue is significant because obese develop a significant backlash that affects their health. Since several researchers and publications have been able to link a correlation between obesity to many health risks, this issue is continuing to be explored. There have been numerous works of literature released related to the physical, psychosocial, and economic consequences to adolescents with that are obese. [Home] [Physical] [Psychosocial] [Economics] [NRSG3225 Home Page]