Obesity in children

Obesity in children is defined as "an excessive accumulation of body fat", in contrast with being overweight, which refers to an excessive amount of body weight that includes muscle, bone, fat and water.

The American Heart Association (AHA) defines obesity as a weight that is 20 percent more in excess of the expected weight for a given height (Mann, 2000), which is calculated using the Body Mass Index (BMI = Weight in Kg./(height in meters)squared).

According to the WHO, in 1995, there were an estimated 18 million children under the age of five who were classified as being obese and about 4,000,000 school-children swell the ranks of the over-weight annually.

The main causes of obesity in children can be classified as:-

(a) Genetic    Obesity tends to run in families which suggests a genetic cause of obesity in children. It is, however, also true that families also share a lifestyle and habits that may contribute to obesity, though research does show a positive correlation between hereditary and obesity.

obesity in children

(b) Physiological     Obesity in children may also be associated with certain illnesses like hypothyroidism, in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough quantities of the thyroid hormone or Cushing's Syndrome, a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to the hormone cortisol, characterized by upper-body obesity, a rounded face with increased fat around the neck and thinning arms and legs.

(c) Behavioral          A number of behavioral patterns and habits play a major role in the increased obesity in children the world over. The lack of an active lifestyle is the biggest contributor followed by the intake of high-fat food or processed food rich in 'empty' calories (that is, calories without much nutritional value).

(d) Cultural   Cultural factors contributing to the growing obesity in children of various age groups can be divided into environmental factors (consumption of large meals and high-fat foods, precedence of taste and convenience over nutrition and an unhealthy lifestyle promoted by the modernization of transport and overindulgence in sedentary activities like watching television and playing computer games) and social factors (poverty which forces parents to opt for high-calorie processed foods on the basis of economy versus more expensive vegetables and fruits as well as inadequate access to safe recreation and sports facilities).

However, the link between obesity and a low socioeconomic status is not conclusive, since obesity has been seen to be increasing in the higher-income groups too.

Though it is not possible to change one's genetic makeup or socioeconomic status, it is possible to modify one's lifestyle to accommodate better eating habits and increase the levels of physical activity. Children should be encouraged and guided in choosing small but adequate portions of nutritious, low-fat foods, and exercising self control when confronted by environmental cues like enticing smells of favorite snacks. A daily diary of food intake will help them keep a track of their calorie intake.

They should also be motivated to undertake at least 30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity a day, like brisk walking or swimming, avoid sitting long hours in front of the television and reduce inter-meal snacking to nil. All these steps taken together will help reduce the incidence of obesity in children to more manageable levels. You can read more information about childhood obesity facts to learn alarming facts and figures concerning the state of obesity in our children.