They used to think that overweight in the teenage years was the first sign that a person would be overweight as an adult. But this new long-term study (in England) indicates it starts much earlier.

Childhood Puppy Fat doesn’t just fade away, according to the study. It’s a serious indicator that a kid will also be overweight as a teenager–and then as an adult. Nearly a quarter of kids (ages 11/12 and 16/17) remained either overweight or obese throughout the study. Among girls and for lower-income levels it was closer to a third.

Here’s what the has to say about the epidemic of childood obesity in the U.S.:

Nutritional factors contributing to the increase in obesity rates include, in no particular order, (1) insufficient infant breastfeeding, (2) a reduction in
cereal fiber, fruit, and vegetable intake by children and youth, and (3) the excessive consumption of oversized fast foods and soda, which are encouraged by fast-food advertising during children’s television programming and a greater
availability of fast foods and sugar-containing beverages in school vending machines. Excessive sedentary behaviors and lack of adequate physical
activity are more likely with the widespread availability of television, videos, computers, and video games. 26% of American children (up to 33% of Mexican American and 43% of non-Hispanic black children) watched at least 4 hours of
television per day, which means they’re less likely to participate in vigorous physical activity. They also had greater BMIs and skinfold measurements than those who watched <2.

Don’t know about you, but that TV can be a source of trouble. Even if I don’t get up and walk or do something more physical, I almost automatically eat less when I don’t watch television at night. Do your kids a favor, turn it off most nights. I find it’s better never to turn it on than to try to stop it once it’s on.