I've warned you about the growing number of overweight or obese children suffering from classic health problems commonly associated with middle-aged folks. No surprise, obesity during the teen years elevates a woman's mortality risks once she reaches middle age.

And to prove obesity is far more damaging to your health than smoking, non-smoking women who were overweight when they were 18 still had a higher risk of death. By the numbers:

• Obese teenage women were more likely to die between ages 36-56.
• Women in the moderately obese category as teens elevated their risk of death in adulthood by 50 percent.
• Obese teens more than doubled their mortality risks compared to their slimmest peers.

A failure to reverse this trend could mean your children may live shorter lives than you will. Nevertheless, I have faith parents will see the light very soon and make the changes it takes to reverse this horrible trend. That means, above all, being a good role model.

If you're not sure where to begin, you can start by reviewing the seven risk factors for childhood obesity I posted last year.

Annals of Internal Medicine, Vol. 145, No. 2, July 18, 2006: 91-97

USA Today July 18, 2006

MSNBC July 17, 2006