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Can childhood obesity limit the American dream? Study links it to lifelong mobility penalties
- February 23, 2026 at 1:20 PM
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While the national conversation around childhood obesity often focuses on rising health care costs, new research co-authored by Ball State University economist Dr. Maoyong Fan suggests the crisis may also be limiting the "American Dream." The study finds that childhood obesity carries a lifelong "mobility penalty," reducing an individual's likelihood of moving up the economic ladder and living in higher-opportunity neighborhoods as an adult.
Originally published at Phys.org