According to 2005 data from the Florida Department of Health, over 10 percent of the nation’s high school students are overweight, with an additional 14 percent on the brink of becoming overweight. Overweight teens are at risk for developing numerous health problems, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Add to these the emotional effects, such as social discrimination, low self esteem, and depression, and suddenly being overweight becomes a problem that can cause lasting damage to a teen’s well-being. So what can be done?
