The Effects of Maternal Employment on Childhood Obesity in the United States

Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States. The Center for Disease Control (CDC), based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), reports that from 1971 to 2004, obesity rates have increased from 5% to 13.9% among two- to five-year-olds, from 4% to 18.8% among six- to eleven-year-olds, and from 6.1% to 17.4% among twelve- to nineteen-year-olds (CDC, 2007). Increases in childhood obesity have been especially pronounced among low-income children from racial and ethnic minority groups. This vast increase in the number of obese children is a major cause for alarm because of the many health problems associated with being overweight.