Effects of Childhood Obesity

There are wide-ranging, short-term and long-term effects of childhood obesity:

1) Effects of Childhood Obesity on Physical health.

a) The fact is that childhood obesity has been linked to several diseases and conditions in adults, such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Many risk factors associated with these diseases, such as high cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride levels, can persist from childhood to adulthood.

b) Asthma : According to American Obesity Association, children and adults with moderate to severe asthma are significantly overweight than their peers.

c) Diabetes Type 2: Various studies shows that obesity in children and adolescents is reported to be the most significant factor for the rise in diabetes type 2. [2]

d) Sleep Apnea: Sleep apnea, the pauses in breathing during sleep, occurs in about 7 percent of children with obesity.

e) Orthopedic complications: Orthopedic effects of childhood obesity include problems with the joints and bones.

Effects of Childhood obesity

f) Hypoventilation among children, leading to drowsiness during the day, snoring and even heart failure, has also been linked to childhood obesity.

g) Dr Trisha Macnair of BBC Health further lists benign intracranial hypertension that produces headaches and affects vision, polycystic ovary syndrome and gall bladder disease in children, among the effects of childhood obesity. [3]


2) Persistence of obesity into adulthood is one of the major long-term effects of childhood obesity and is very alarming, as it leads to a wide-range of social, psychological  and health problems. [1]

3) Psychological and social effects of childhood obesity: Obesity has social, psychological and emotional consequences. Children often tease or bully their overweight peers and this, sometimes, can be the most devastating effect of childhood obesity. Children with obesity are known to be treated differently and often feel isolated and lonely, resulting in loss of self-esteem and increased risk of depression. Stress and anxiety also interfere with learning, resulting in declining academic performance. Psychological effects of childhood obesity are seen more in girls than boys. [1, 4]

References:

1. P. Kendall, K. Wilken and E. Serrano (2006). University of Colorado. Effects of Childhood Obesity.

2. American Obesity Association (n.d.). AOA Fact Sheets. Obesity in Youth.

3. Dr Trisha Macnair (n.d.) Obesity in children.

4. John Dorsey and Jeanne Segal (2007). Effects of Childhood Obesity. Childhood and Juvenile Obesity.