Childhood Obesity - Safe or Unsafe??

Childhood Obesity - Safe or Unsafe??

Childhood obesity is a serious medical problem. Those children who are obese, often end up developing major health problems later in life. Children that are considered to be obese are the ones who have a BMI (Body Mass Index) that is greater than 80% is considered to be obese. This means that a child who weighs more than eighty percent of their peers who are of the same height, age, and gender, is overweight

The longterm effects of childhood obesity can be broken down into physical and mental effects. The longterm effects of childhood obesity can physically shorten the life expectancy of the individual and can reduce the quality of life the individual is expected to have. Mentally the obesity can cause great unhappiness in the individual's life.

Symptoms Of Childhood Obesity

It is important to realize that not all children who have a few extra pounds are obese. Some kids tend to have larger body frames and each child has a different amount of body fat at different development stages. Hence, it will not be possible to look at your child and determine that they are obese or overweight.

A doctor is best placed to check your child's weight and height, and see whether they are proportionate. The doctor will also calculate your child's BMI (body mass index), and perform other tests to determine whether your child is obese.

Problems Caused By Childhood Obesity

Your child can suffer physically, emotionally and socially due to childhood obesity. Some of the risks of being obese during childhood include:

• Type 2 Diabetes: In Type 2 Diabetes, the body is unable to metabolize sugar efficiently, leading to a spike in sugar levels in the blood. It can result in a host of complications. This is a chronic condition.
•  Elevated Blood Pressure and Cholesterol: Due to obesity, your child can develop both high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Both lead to a build-up of plaque in the blood vessels, obstructing the smooth flow of blood and causing the heart to work harder to pump blood. Plaque formation can lead to a stroke or heart attack after your child attains adulthood.
•  Non-Alcoholic Liver Disease: Here, fat accumulates in the liver, leading to irreversible liver damage and scarring. It does not have any specific symptoms.
• Respiratory Disorder: Many obese children find it difficult to breathe, and a vast majority is diagnosed with asthma.
• Heart disease such as coronary artery disease
• Gallbladder problems such as gall-stones

• Osteoarthritis (a deterioration of the cartilage and bone that the joints of the body are made of)
•  Breast cancer
•  Colon cancer
•  Kidney cancer
•  Liver cancer
•  Strokes
•  High cholesterol
•  Sleep apnea
•  Breathing difficulties
•  Premature death
•  Back pain
•  Difficulties in becoming pregnant, problems in menstruation
•  Yeast infections

The mental health issues that are caused by excessive amounts of weight include (but are not limited to)

•  Depression
•  Anxiety
•  Low self-esteem
•  Mood disorders and suicidal thoughts
•  Embarrassment

Being overweight does not just affect a person's physical and mental state, it affects their quality of life. Some of the life-altering effects of this condition include (but are not limited to):

•  An inability to walk without pain and discomfort. This pain and discomfort may include pain in the joints, the back, or difficulty breathing.
•  Difficulty finding clothing to fit
•  The inability to sit in some chairs. Most chairs that are in public places are designed to hold someone who weighs 250 lbs or less. An obese person may not be able to fit into the chairs in restaurants and waiting rooms.
•  Seatbelts in vehicles may not properly fit around the obese individual
•  Obese individuals may have to pay for 2 seats on an airplane or a bus when they travel
•  They may have difficulties finding bathroom scales that will weigh them
•  They are often lonely because of their lack of self-esteem, and their social embarrassment

Statistics Of Childhood Obesity

All of the longterm effects of excessive weight create an increased amount of medical cost in the United States and around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control $190.2 billion dollars are spent each year in the United States alone treating obesity-related illnesses. That breaks down to being 21% of the money spent each year by the U.S. on medical-related issues is money spent because of obesity. The CDC.gov estimates that 14 billion of those dollars are spent treating medical conditions suffered by children who are obese.

Prevention Of Childhood Obesity

The only way for obesity to be stopped is for it to never start. Everyone needs to be concerned about this problem so things will change. Some of the things that could be done to stop this epidemic include (but are not limited to)

•  Increased education for parents and guardians
•  Changes in foods that are offered at popular restaurants where children frequently eat
•  A campaign to promote physical activity for young people and decrease the amount of time they spend watching television and playing video games
•  Insurance companies that offer reduced rates to families who fit within the proper BMI chart for their ages, genders, and heights
• It is going to take a community effort to make the changes necessary to stop this condition from killing so many people prematurely.

Consulting a pediatrician is the best and safest way to prevent childhood obesity. The specialists at the clinic will determine your child's BMI and also evaluate your child's eating habits, activities, and family history so they can create a personalized plan that will help your child lose weight safely.