Last updated: 19 march, 2010 - 16:43 GMT
Study: Extreme obesity affecting more children in US than ever before
Researchers urge changes in lifestyle to deal with obesity
Extreme obesity is affecting more children in the United States than ever before, according to a new study.
More than 700,000 children aged 2-19 in southern California were included in the study by healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente.
According to the study, more than 7% of boys and 5% of girls were extremely obese and one in twenty are a full 50% above what doctors consider healthy.
The organisation says obese children face a shorter life span and health problems in their twenties, unless they change their lifestyles.
The World Today's Ed Butler talked to overweight teenager D'Vonte Pullen and obesity expert Tami Foy.
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First broadcast 19 March 2010
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