A study showed that more US children are now becoming extremely obese at a young age that puts them at high risk of dying decades younger compared to those normal-weight children and of suffering in old age illness.

A brand new classification of extreme child obesity, which was named last year by the Centers for Disease Control an Prevention (CDC), affects 7.3 percent for young boys and 5.5 percent for girls, showed by Kaiser Permanente, a leading US health care provider.

Studies found out that extreme obesity peaks at an early age of 10 for boys than in girls, whose obesity peaks at the age of 12 and again at 18. This was published online at the Journal of Pediatrics.

Without a major lifestyle changes, these kids will face a 10 to 20 years shorter lifespan and will develop health problems at the age of 20 which typically applies in the 40 to 60 year olds, said by the lead author of the study, Corinna Koenbick

Just to name a few, these children will be exposed to diseases such as heart disease, fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes and joint problems.

The researchers have based their study in the health records of 711,000 children and teens, ages 2 to 19, in California during the years 2007 and 2008 for the snapshot of how extreme obesity is common in US children today.

The results show a rate of 12 percent extreme obesity, prominently in black teen girls and Hispanic teen boys. The authors also warned that American children's tendency appears to be away from normal weight and towards extreme obesity.

Kaiser Permanente is a member of a non-profit Partnership for a Healthier America which was set up to generate support for First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign to stop child obesity for a generation.

California Medicine