While childhood obesity has begun to level off, severe obesity among U.S. children and teen continues to be a problem, with five percent suffering, according to new data from the American Heart Association (AHA).

Severe obesity in children and teens heighten their risk of premature heart failure and Type 2 diabetes, as well as other cardiovascular diseases. Other issues related to severe obesity are elevated blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and atherosclerosis, a disease known to clog a person's arteries.

"Severe obesity in young people has grave health consequences," said Aaron Kelly, Ph.D., lead author of the statement and a researcher at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis. "It's a much more serious childhood disease than obesity."

With weight loss being a challenge for young children, treatment options are limited for severe obesity. A severely obese child is defined as being over two years old with a body mass index at least 20 percent higher than the 95th percentile for their gender and age, in other words, a BMI higher than 35.

BMI is a measurement often used to determine obesity based on height and weight. Certain levels are meant to indicate if a person is healthy, overweight, obese or severely obese. Two University of Pennsylvania researchers have criticized the measurement recently, saying it is not an accurate teller of an individual's health.

They argue it does not take into account chronic illness, the type of fat or race. They also do not believe either age or gender were used in determining BMI and grading it, but among children, it is. Since there is not much that can be done medically for severely obese children, BMI seems like the best method of determination.

Kelly said many experts are recommending a gradual treatment regimen including lifestyle changes - diet and exercise - followed by medical treatment and, if necessary, surgery.

"But the step from lifestyle change and medication to surgery is unacceptably large because weight loss surgery isn't appropriate for or available to all severely obese children," he said.

Said the statement from the AHA:

"The statement calls for 'innovative approaches to fill the gap between lifestyle/medication and surgery,' including:

  • Conduct more research on bariatric surgery's effects and safety;
  • Evaluate effectiveness of lifestyle modification interventions, including adherence to dietary and physical activity plans;
  • Fund research to find other useful interventions, including better drugs and medical devices; and
  • Recognize severe obesity as a chronic disease requiring ongoing care and management"