Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects thousands of children and young adults. Childhood obesity is characterized by a child being above the normal weight for his or her age by a significant amount. Of most concern is the fact that childhood obesity often causes additional health problems for kids that were once only a problem for adults. Childhood obesity is often the cause for low self-esteem, depression, anxiety and various health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Health officials claim that the best fight against childhood obesity is to change the eating habits of children and to improve exercise and fitness levels. To protect the health of children, medical experts recommend preventing childhood obesity by taking a proactive approach rather than a reactive approach to treating the obesity once it has already set in.
Symptoms of Childhood Obesity
Many children have extra body weight or mass but are not considered obese or overweight. Children with larger than average body frames are not necessarily overweight or obese they are simply “big boned” and this is alright. For some children, fat accumulates during different stages of development and then will dissipate away which is not cause for concern.
The best way to calculate and determine if a child suffers from obesity or is overweight is by measuring the child’s body mass index. The BMI is an indicator of whether or not a child is overweight and is based on age and height in comparison with the child’s weight.
A doctor may also use a growth chart to determine where a child ranks in comparison to other children his age. Children on the upper end of the growth chart for BMI may be overweight or obese. Children who are within the 85th-94 percentile of the growth chart for the age are considered overweight. For children whose BMI for the age is at the 95th percentile or higher, childhood obesity is a factor.
Causes of Childhood Obesity
Genetic causes and hormonal changes can have an effect on childhood obesity but in the majority of childhood obesity cases the cause is too little exercise and too much food. Certain children are at an increased risk of becoming overweight or of suffering from childhood obesity. Various factors affect the child’s risk of becoming obese including diet, exercise, family history of obesity, stress or other psychological factors, family habits and socioeconomic status.
A child’s diet has a significant impact on the risk of the child becoming obese. Children who eat high calorie foods, junk food, fast food and vending machine snacks are more likely to suffer from obesity than those who have a healthy diet that consists primarily of fruits, vegetables and healthy snacks. Family habits such as buying convenience foods and junk food at the grocery store can also impact the likelihood of a child becoming obese.
Children who are depressed, stressed or bored may also suffer from childhood obesity as a result of the psychological factors. Additionally, children who have a family history of being overweight such as overweight parents are more likely to become overweight themselves. Children who come from lo income families or a low socioeconomic status are at a greater risk of becoming obese than those who come from a higher socioeconomic status in which eating healthy and exercising may be a family priority.
Effects of Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity can cause numerous complications for the child. Physical, social and emotional patterns have been found in children who are obese. Children who suffer from childhood obesity may be depressed, have anxiety about their weight, and may also suffer from numerous physical conditions as a result of the obesity.
The most common physical complications that result from childhood obesity include Type 2 Diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, sleep disorders and early puberty. New studies show that as a result of the childhood obesity epidemic puberty is beginning for some children as early as 7 years old. Additionally, certain physical conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Type 2 Diabetes were once contained to adults but are now common for children because of obesity.
Children who are overweight may suffer from low self-esteem as a result of the obesity. This can lead to depression and overwhelming feelings of hopelessness. Depression also causes children to lose interest in regular activities and to sleep excessively which further contributes to the childhood obesity problem. Learning problems are also commonplace for children who are obese because stress and anxiety tends to interfere with regular learning.
Treatment for Childhood Obesity
Treatments for childhood obesity will vary based on the severity of the obesity, the likely causes of the obesity and the age of the child when treatment begins. Additionally, childhood obesity treatments also vary based on any additional medical conditions that the child may have such as diabetes, asthma or high blood pressure. Most often, the treatment for childhood obesity will include dietary changes and increased levels of physical activity and exercise.
For children who are under 7 years old, childhood obesity treatment will usually focus on achieving a healthy weight through healthy weight loss and exercise. The treatment will involve allowing the child to add inches for regular growth but attempt to not add any pounds thus over time the BMI will naturally level out. Unfortunately, it can be very difficult for an obese child to maintain a steady weight while still growing.
For older children who suffer from obesity, the treatment will consist of weight loss in the range of about a pound per week. Various methods can be used to help a child maintain a healthy weight or to lose weight. A healthy diet should be introduced to the child and fatty foods should be omitted from the diet. The success of a child’s weight loss efforts are largely dependent on the parents’ support and commitment to helping the child achieve weight loss goals.
Increased physical activity should be top priority when trying to help a child to lose weight. It’s important to teach children how to have fun and be active. Exercise should come naturally as a fun activity not as a “chore.” Recreational time should be limited to 2 hours or less per day if this time is spent in front of the television or the computer. It’s vitally important to the weight loss goals of the obese child that they prevent sedentary actions as much as possible.
In severe cases, medication may be required to help with childhood obesity. There are two different prescription weight loss medications that can be used for adolescents. Orlistat is approved for children at least 12 years old while Meridia is approved for children who are at least 16. It’s important to note that weight loss medications should be a final resort just preceding surgery and healthy diet and exercise should be the primary goal.
Finally, weight loss surgery is an option for severe cases of childhood obesity that have not responded to other conventional weight loss methods such as dietary changes, increased exercise and medications. Surgery comes with potential risks and complications that should be addressed before making any final decisions especially when regarding childhood obesity. The long term effects of weight loss surgery on future child growth are not yet known so this type of treatment should be considered a last resort when all other methods have failed.
