• U.S. teens have higher obesity rates than 13- to 15-year-olds in 14 other industrialized nations, according to a study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
• More than 60 percent of young people eat too much fat, the U.S. surgeon general says. Less than 20 percent eat the recommended five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
• More than a third of high-school-age kids never engage in vigorous physical activity, the surgeon general says.
• Asked to pick the healthier of two food items, such as corn flakes or frosted flakes, children who watched more TV chose the less healthy food, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

For some children, genes play a role in weight. The world children live in also contributes in many ways. Among the factors:

• More sedentary lifestyles focused on television and video games.
• Less physical education in schools.
• Eating more meals outside the home, especially fast food.
• Larger portion sizes.
• Too much fat and sugar.