What Are the Dangers of Obesity in Children?
The percentage of obese children in America is steadily rising. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, between 16 and 33 percent of children and adolescents are obese. Obesity can cause serious health problems for children and put them at risk for life-long serious medical diseases and condition
Description
- Starting at the age of 2 years old, doctors analyze a child's weight to determine if he is within a healthy range. Doctors use Body Mass Index (BMI) and check height and weight measurements to approximate the amount of body fat a child has. Children and adolescents with a BMI over the 95th percentile are considered obese.
Causes
- Poor diet and lack of physical activity greatly attribute to obesity in children. Nowadays, children regularly eat fast food that is high in fat content, and spend much of their spare time in front of the television or playing video games. Children are not getting regular exercise. Sometimes, obesity can be linked to such medical conditions like endocrine problems and genetic syndromes.
Dangers
- Good physical health is at great risk when a child is obese. Obese children are in danger of being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, bone and joint problems, and high cholesterol. Cardiovascular problems in childhood could grow into serious medical problems as adults, like heart disease, heart failure and stroke. Mentally, the risks are great, too. Obese children may experience low self-esteem, develop unhealthy eating routines like anorexia nervosa and bulimia, and suffer from depression and substance abuse.
Diagnosis
- Health care professionals are trained to diagnose obesity in children. During routine examinations, health care professionals will assess a child's weight through the use of BMI and and a BMI "growth chart" to determine whether a child falls in the underweight, normal weight, overweight or obese range. If obesity is not attributed to a health condition, the doctor will work with the parent and child to lower weight and reduce fat through proper diet and regular exercise.
Prevention
- Weight issues cannot be quickly fixed. The best way to lose and manage weight is by living a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise of at least 30 minutes per day. Also, caregivers should not offer sweet foods as part of a reward system for good behavior. Children should not associate behaving well with unhealthy foods. On the other hand, don't remove all sweets from a child's diet either. That may result in the overeating of foods high in sugar when away from the house.
Warning
- Crash diets and diet pills can jeopardize growth and are not recommended for children by health care professionals. Weight loss should be gradual. Physicians should supervise any weight management program for children.
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