Health worries over heavier high school football players

According to an Associated Press report, "High calorie diets, almost year-round weightlifting and more intense competition have made 300-pound high school football players more common in northeast Ohio, bringing concerns from doctors and athletic officials that unhealthy eating patterns and obesity among student-athletes will carry into adulthood." (Source: "Heavier high school football players worries health officials," Oct. 27, 2007.) For example, fourteen players at Stark County's 20 high schools weigh more than 300 pounds, and 46 players weigh at least 270 pounds, weights not seen during the 1970s, while a recent study from Iowa found that 9% of that state's high school football players were obese. "The heaviest Ohio State player weighed 278 pounds 25 years ago, and 20 years ago, no player on the Cleveland Browns weighed as much as 300." Since overweight children and teens are at an increased risk for joint problems, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, there is worry about the long-term effect of these weight gains.