Childhood obesity was uncommon, but still present

Not viewed as a major public health concern

Diets consisted of mostly home cooked meals, limited food processors, children were outside more often

Obesity rates in children increased rapidly

Fast food chains such as Mcdonald's grew in popularity

Sugary cereals, processed snacks and sodas became more marketable to kids

TV became more popular leading to a rise in screen time

Video games, computers and cable TV became more widespread

Decline in physical activity 

school lunches became more processed and less regulated

Obesity in children doubled in 1999 and the CDC officially declared childhood obesity as a public health crisis

The food industry prioritized mass production over quality because they are cheaper to produce

 Increase in aggressive marketing for "junk" food making it more appealing for children

Children began averaging 6-8 hours of screen time

Reduced physical activity and PE budget cuts from school became normal

Michelle Obama began campaigning for an end to childhood obesity

Overall obesity rates began to plateau, but racial and income disparities became more common

Black and Hispanic children continued to have disproportionally high rates

Obesity started to be linked with food insecurity and poverty in the US

COVID-19 and online learning led to millions of kids loosing access to healthy and balanced school meals

Physical activity decreased and screen time along with binge eating increased 

Food prices increased especially in fruits and vegetables, food insecurity became more common

Obesity rates in younger children increased