More stores carrying plus-size children's clothing

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SALT LAKE CITY -- This statistic is telling for childhood obesity: The percentage of children who are overweight has more than tripled in the past 30 years.

Now, retailers are starting to catch up and catch on by selling plus-size clothing for kids.

Plus-size kids clothes are not only found online or in specialty shops. National retailers are getting on board.

It's something that might make you stop and think: Is this a growing need, or growing problem?

Well, maybe it's both.

Linda Peeples manages the kids section for JCPenney. She said families are thrilled at the oversized options.

"The parents are really relieved to come here and buy their kids the same styles, the same everything," Peeples said. "You are trying to figure out something to fit this kid, you know, so she can be in style and won't be picked on in school."

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Plus-size kids clothes are not only found online or in specialty shops. Here in Utah, JCPenney locations all have in-store Husky Boy and Girls Plus sections. Locally, Old Navy and Gap Kids also both offer plus-sized denim. Nationally, other stores like Sears, Land's End and Nordstrom also began selling expanded sizes for children.

Obesity in Utah youth
According to the CDC's Utah Youth Risk Behavior Study:

6% of students were obese
88% of students ate vegetables less than three times a day
16% watch television three or more hours a day

It seems as our kids continue grow, so does demand. Forbes and MarketResearch.com mark the sales of women's and girls' plus size apparel to be a $47 billion industry.

And for those who might think plus-sizes for kids are just hiding that bigger problem, retailers like Peeples disagree. They say providing overweight kids with clothes that fit helps their self-esteem.

Many children, Peeples says, won't notice or even care that their clothes are plus-size. They just want to fit in with other kids.

"A lot of kids don't realize what the parents are buying," Peeples said. "If they try it on, it fits and looks nice, that's what they see. And nobody can see the inside of your tag once your clothes is on."

Email: bwalker@ksl.com