Overweight and Obesity

Tue Dec 23, 2003

KidsHealth.org

The number of overweight and obese children in the United States is growing at a phenomenal rate. On the whole, kids are spending less time exercising and more time in front of the TV, computer, or video game console. And today's busy families have fewer free moments to prepare wholesome, home-cooked meals, day in and day out. From fast food to electronics, quick and easy seems to be the mindset of many people, young and old, in the new millennium.

Since the 1960s, the number of overweight kids and adolescents in the United States has nearly doubled. Today, 10% of 2- to 5-year-olds and more than 15% of children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. And a whopping 31% of adults are also obese. Studies indicate that overweight and obese adolescents have up to an 80% chance of becoming overweight and obese adults, especially if one or more parent has the same condition.

Overcoming overweight and obesity in your own children means adapting the way you and your family eat and exercise and the way you spend time together. Ensuring that your children lead a healthy lifestyle begins with you, the parent, and leading by example.

Is Your Child Overweight or Obese?
Although you may think that your child is overweight or even obese, only a doctor should make that determination (calculating your child's body mass index, or BMI, can be a good indicator).

To determine BMI, the doctor divides the child's weight by his or her height squared, or wt/ht2. (Important: To use this formula for BMI, the child's weight and height measurements must be in kilograms and meters, respectively. If you use pounds and inches, multiply the result by the conversion factor 703.) This calculation helps the doctor determine whether the child's weight is appropriate for height.

Children ranking higher than the 97th percentile for age are considered obese. Kids with a BMI score between the 85th and 97th percentile are considered overweight or at risk for becoming obese (or extremely overweight). And children who fall between the 5th and 85th percentile are considered normal weight.

For example, a 13-year-old boy who's an average 5 feet, 3 inches tall would rank as follows:

  • Above 141 pounds = obese
  • 124 -141 pounds = overweight
  • 88 - 123 pounds = normal weight
  • Below 88 pounds = underweight

There are exceptions, of course, like for those who are very muscular (because extra muscle adds to a person's body weight - but not fatness). It's important to remember that BMI is usually a good indicator - but is not a direct measurement - of body fat.

 

If you're worried that your child or teen may be overweight, make an appointment with your family doctor to find out for sure. Your doctor will need to evaluate your child not only for obesity, but for the medical conditions that can be associated with obesity (see below).

 

Before adopting any kind of diet or weight-loss plan, talk to your child's doctor, who may refer you to a registered dietitian or a weight management program. Depending on the child's weight and age, the doctor or specialist may not emphasize immediate weight loss but may focus, instead, on decreasing the rate of weight gain as the child grows.

 

The Effects of Overweight and Obesity

Not only are overweight and obese children at risk for serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol - all once considered exclusively adult issues - they're also prone to low self- esteem that stems from being teased, bullied, or rejected by peers. Overweight children are often the last to be chosen as playmates, even as early as preschool. They may also be more likely than average-weight children to develop unhealthy dieting habits and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, and they may be more prone to depression, as well as substance abuse.

 

Being overweight or obese can be associated with medical conditions that affect a child's present and future health and have direct impact on quality of life:

  • trouble with bones and joints
  • shortness of breath that makes exercise, sports, or any physical activity more difficult and may aggravate the symptoms or increase the chances of developing asthma
  • restless or disordered sleep patterns
  • tendency to mature earlier (overweight kids may be taller and more sexually mature than their peers; overweight girls may enter puberty earlier, have irregular menstrual cycles, excessive body hair growth, and may experience potential fertility problems in adulthood)
  • the presence of risk factors such as hypertension, lipid problems, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, which can lead to the early development of cardiovascular disease
  • liver problems
  • depression

Serious adult medical conditions like heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and certain cancers can have their roots in childhood. Preventing or treating obesity in children may reduce the risk of developing these conditions as they get older.

 

What Causes Obesity?

There are a number of factors that can cause obesity, either alone or together. If someone becomes overweight or obese, genetic factors, lifestyle habits, or both may be involved.

 

Much of what we eat is quick and easy - from fat-laden fast food to microwave and prepackaged meals. Daily schedules are so jam-packed that there's little time to prepare healthier meals or to squeeze in some exercise. Portion sizes, in the home and out, have drastically increased.

 

Plus, now, more than ever, life is sedentary - children spend more time playing with electronic devices, from computers to home video game systems, than actively playing outside. Television is a major culprit.

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