Obesity among children - Oops!

It's not "cool" to be fat, still obesity epidemic is increasing with passing years especially among children. Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat. Obesity is present when total body weight is more than 25 percent fat in boys and more than 32 percent fat in girls. Childhood obesity increased from 5 percent in 1964 to about 13 percent in 1994. Today, it is about 20 percent - and rising. According to American Obesity Association, 2006, approximately 30.3% of children (ages 6 to 11) are overweight and 15.3% are obese. For teens (12 to 19) the rate is almost identical: 33.4% overweight, and 15.5% obese. Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult. Now these are alarming figures.

Causes of Obesity - Obesity in childhood and adolescence can be related to:

Poor eating habits
Overeating or binging
Insufficient exercise.
Low-energy Expenditure: The average American child spends several hours each day watching television; time which in previous years might have been devoted to physical pursuits. A more recent study found that children who watch more than three hours of television a day are 50 per cent more likely to be obese than kids who watch fewer than two hours. These researchers conclude that "more than 60% of overweight incidents can be linked to excess TV viewing"
Family: The risk of becoming obese is greatest among children who have two obese parents. This may be due to powerful genetic factors.
Medical illnesses (endocrine, neurological problems)
Medications (steroids, some psychiatric medications)
Stressful life events or changes (separations, divorce, moves, deaths, abuse)
Family and peer problems
Low self-esteem
Depression or other emotional problems.

Complications of Obesity: There are many Physical consequences as a result of obesity.

vicious circle of obesity

Hypertension and predisposition for cardiac disease.
Obesity is now recognized as a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack.
High blood pressure
Diabetes: The major health threat is the early development of Type 2 diabetes, particularly in children with a family history of the disease.
Breathing problems
Kidney disease
Eye diseases
Nerve damage
Various gastrointestinal disorders
Trouble sleeping
Depression and anxiety

Precautions parents can take to control obesity:

healthy

Limit your child from TV viewing and use of computer to one or two hours per day.
Inculcate good exercise/activity habits.
Visits to fast-food restaurants should be very limited.
Provide nutritious, well-balanced, low-calorie, and low-fat meals.
Limit the availability of high-fat and high-sugar snacks in your home.

Treatment: Obese children need a thorough medical evaluation by a pediatrician or family physician to consider the possibility of a physical cause. Medical treatment of obesity focuses on lifestyle changes like:

Soft drinks, fruit juices, and sports drinks are loaded with sugar; drink fat-free or low-fat milk or water instead.
Eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.
Eat a healthy breakfast every day.
Start a weight-management program.
Eat slowly.
Plan meals and make better food selections (eat less fatty foods, avoid junk and fast foods).
Increase physical activity (especially walking) and have a more active lifestyle.
Eat meals as a family instead of while watching television or at the computer.
Limit snacking.
Attend a support group.
Do not buy what they shoudl not eat, if it is not there, how can they eat it?

It's really painful for parents to see there children obese, so always keep an eye to your child's diet and encourage them to do lots of physical work. Also remember you are their role models, so why should they eat healthy if you are not?

(Sources: life.familyeducation.com, mediafamily.org, kidsource.com, overweightteen.com, 4childhood-obesity.blogspot.com, aacap.org)