Most parents aren’t overly concerned about their young children’s being overweight. They tend to write it off as “puppy fat,” something that will melt away over time as their kids get older. Is it so or is childhood obesity something to worry about? While in some cases, this can happen, it is not necessarily true. Some children find it difficult to lose that excess weight and very often become overweight adolescents and adults.
Several studies that have been conducted have reached some important conclusions about childhood obesity and its short- and long-term outcomes.
How obesity affects children in the short and long term
In the short term, children who are overweight or obese are at increased risk of consuming a wide range of foods, including but not limited to:
• Cardiovascular disease
• Hypertension
• Sleep apnea
• High cholesterol
• Prediabetes
• Joint and bone problems
In addition to these seemingly visible health problems, obese children are also more likely to be socially outcasts, as they are often teased and left out of their activities by other children. This can lead to various psychological problems, such as low self-esteem and a lack of confidence.
A young child who fails to shed excess weight will eventually become an overweight adolescent and/or adult. As obese adults, they will be at increased risk for several different adult health problems, from osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes to stroke and heart disease. They are also at increased risk of various types of cancer, from ovarian, kidney, and pancreatic cancers to cervical, ovarian, and breast cancers.
The social stigma and associated psychological problems all too often continue well into adulthood. All of this goes to show that obesity in children is not something to be ignored lightly. Parents need to be more aware of the many physical and psychological problems associated with being overweight in children and take steps to ensure that their children are at a healthy weight.
What causes childhood obesity and what can be done to prevent it
One of the most common reasons kids are becoming more overweight today is because of their increasingly sedentary lifestyle and eating too much fat-laden junk food. The solution to ensuring that children are healthy and within the recommended weight range for their age is to help them make the right food choices and encourage them to live a more active lifestyle.