They have a higher rate of obesity than teens in 14 other industrialized countries, according to a study of nearly 30,000 kids. And the experts say it's because of fast food and brainless lifestyles-- The study found that 15 percent of girls and nearly 14 percent of boys in the U.S. were obese. And 31 percent of girls and 28 percent of boys were classified as overweight-- The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine published the study-- And the researchers found that U.S. teens were more likely to eat fast food, snacks, and sugary sodas than teens in other countries. They were also more likely to be driven to school and other activities, which means they're living a more passive lifestyle. According to Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity researcher at Children's hospital in Boston, other countries are catching up but we're still leading the race in obesity. Dr. Ludwig published a study that found that a third of U.S. kids are eating fast food on any given day. Lithuania had the lowest obesity rates in the study--Because not only does the country have fewer fast food restaurants, the teens there have less money to spend on junk food. But other countries like Ireland, Portugal, Germany, and Denmark are catching up to us. The World Health Organization says that like in America, obesity is becoming a big problem in these other countries, too. It seems they're abandoning traditional diets and developing a less physically active lifestyle-- But for the time being, we're still leading the pack.
Now you know.