For decades, Americans' life expectancy has been growing, but a new health study suggests that life spans may have peaked. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, says a nationwide epidemic of obesity means today's children may not live as long as their parents.
"From our analysis of the effect of obesity on longevity, we conclude that the steady rise in life expectancy during the past two centuries may soon come to an end," said researchers from the University of Chicago and five other institutions.
Their report said obesity is a problem in the general population, but took particular note of the alarming rise in overweight children. It predicts that, unless this obesity is at some point reversed, overweight children will develop associated diseases and complications, such as Type 2 diabetes and heart problems, at a younger age.
The researchers said obesity is already shortening the lives of adults by four to nine months, doing more to hold life spans in check that accidents, suicides and homicides combined. But today's children could see their life expectancy fall by as much as five years as obese children become obese adults.
Obesity is defined as having fat make up more than 30 percent of a person's bodyweight. Being obese throughout adulthood can reduce life expectancy by about 10 years.
Health care providers and nutritionists have been focusing more of their anti-obesity efforts on children lately, as research continues to mount of the growing problems. A recent study by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania recently found that children living in rural areas are significantly more obese than children in urban areas.
The research is putting renewed pressure on Congress for some type of action. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) calls it a full fledged epidemic. "Junk food ads are pervasive on TV and radio, in print media, on the Internet, on billboards, in movies and along grocery store aisles. Not even schools are safe havens anymore," Harkin said at a recent news conference.
Harkin said he plans to introduce legislation giving the Secretary of Agriculture the authority to ban junk food advertising in schools.
