We Must Remain Persistent on the Battle against Childhood Obesity, Warns Dr. Michael Gabriel
New York, NY (PRWEB) March 04, 2014 -- Dr. Michael Gabriel of Gabriel Pediatrics, a Brooklyn pediatric care center, responds to an article published on February 25 by Pediatricnews.com, which talks about the prevalent rate of obesity among young American children and what we need to do as a society to keep it under control.
According to an article published on February 25th by Pediatric News titled “Obesity prevalence steady between 2003 and 2012,” Cynthia L. Ogden, Ph.D. from the National Center for Health Statistics says the rates of obesity have not changed much over the past decade. By analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), Cynthia L. Ogden, Ph.D. from the national Center for Health Statistics, and her colleagues published the following results:
• Sample participants: 9,120 people aged 2 years and older who participated in the 2011-2012 NHANES
• For children aged 2-19 years, the rate of overweight or obesity was 31.8; obesity alone was 16.9%, with no differences between boys and girls
• Obesity among 2- to 5-year-olds was 8.4%, 17.7% in 6- to 11-year-olds, and 20.5% in 12- to 19-year-olds
• Positive results: obesity in the 2- to 5-year-old age group declined by 5 percentage points over time
• Negative results: obesity increase by 4 percentage points among women aged 60 and older.
Dr. Michael Gabriel of Gabriel Pediatrics, a Brooklyn pediatric care center, says that although it’s a good sign that the rate of childhood obesity has remained relatively the same, we need to remain vigilant in our efforts to stopping it. “Educating children about health issues related to obesity will help them understand the risks of it,” he said. “We are doing a good job, as a society, at reducing the obesity rate amongst young children however we cannot get complacent in our efforts. We need to continue raising awareness, provide our children with healthy alternatives, and make keeping them healthy our top priority.”
Gabriel Pediatrics provides comprehensive pediatric care to children throughout the New York area with practices both in Brooklyn and Staten Island. Our board certified pediatricians and experienced staff help provide a very warm and nurturing environment for both you and your children. Our approach combines the latest treatment methods with the personal attention you should expect from your doctor. Simply put, we understand the importance of communication and trust and we are earning that trust one family at a time.
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Scott Darrohn, Gabriel Pediatrics, http://www.gabrielpediatrics.com/, +1 855-347-4228, [email protected]
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