[caption id="attachment_62525" align="aligncenter" width="200"] Girl, 10, weighs 22 stone, Or 308LBS[/caption]Birmingham Student, age 10, Weighs in at 22 Stone

Birmingham, England - The problem of childhood obesity is growing worse. The tabloid known as the Sunday Mercury filed a freedom of information request from the “Health and Social Care Information Centre" to obtain statistics obtain by the organization. The findings paint a disturbing picture for parents in this city of one million inhabitants.

The study found that there were 50 students who weighed 16 stone (224 lbs.) by age 11. However, the most extreme case was that of a ten year old girl who tipped the scales at 22 stone (308 lbs.). The problems for childhood obesity are far reaching as the children tend to develop endocrine disorders such as Type II diabetes. Also, recently passed laws in the UK make it possible for child protective services to intervene in the custody of the child if parents are not taking adequate measures to promote the health of the child.

The study shows that 40% or two out of every five students in the Birmingham school district were at least overweight. 23% or nearly one in four were designated obese. Being overweight means that the child has a BMI of 25-29.9 or approximately 25%-29.9% body fat. Obesity ratings start at a BMI of 30 or roughly 30% of the child's body weight being fat.

Canada, like many nations, is in the midst of an epidemic of overweight and obesity.

According to The Childhood Obesity Foundation, 59% of adult Canadians are either overweight or obese1. Cities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia were significantly higher in overweight/obesity population than the national average for adults2.

Source material:

girl, 10, weighs 22 stone
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10541288/10-year-old-schoolgirl-weighs-22-stone-new-figures-show.html