What is Childhood Obesity?
Childhood obesity is a condition where excess body fat
negatively affects a child's health or wellbeing. As methods to determine body
fat directly are difficult, the diagnosis of obesity is often based on BMI. Due
to the rising prevalence of obesity in children and its many adverse health
effects it is being recognized as a serious public health concern. The term
overweight rather than obese is often used in children as it is less
stigmatizing.
Causes:
1. Genetic,
behavioral, and environmental factors causing obesity in children and
adolescents.
2. Prevention
and management initiatives and interventions.
3. Strategies
to promote education and policy changes.
4. The
role of primary care healthcare providers.
5. Long-term
health risks for overweight children.
6. Health
disparities and lack of access to health care.
7. Economic
impact of childhood obesity.
8. Research
advances.
Immediate health effects:
1. Obese
youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as
high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a population-based sample of 5- to
17-year-olds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for
cardiovascular disease.
2. Obese
adolescents are more likely to have prediabetes, a condition in which blood
glucose levels indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.
3. Children
and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems,
sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and
poor self-esteem.
Long-term health effects:
1. Children
and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and
are therefore more at risk for adult health problems such as heart disease,
type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis. One
study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely
to be obese as adults.
2. Overweight
and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer,
including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney,
pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as
multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
How Can I Help My Overweight Child?
If
you have an overweight child, it is very important that you allow him or her to
know that you will be supportive. Children's feelings about themselves often
are based on their parents' feelings about them, and if you accept your
children at any weight, they will be more likely to feel good about themselves.
It is also important to talk to your children about their weight, allowing them
to share their concerns with you.
It
is not recommended that parents set children apart because of their weight.
Instead, parents should focus on gradually changing their family's physical
activity and eating habits. By involving the entire family, everyone is taught
healthful habits and the overweight child does not feel singled out.
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