childhood obesity

childhood obesity

Introduction

There have been rapid nutritional changes in the world that are characterized by the increased persistent of dietary deficiencies. The deficiencies are evidenced by the high prevalence of anemia and other diseases that are related to a lack of zinc or iron (Sahoo et al., 2015). Equally, there is a progressive increase in the incidence of chronic diseases that are related to nutrition. These diseases include diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and some types of cancer (Sahoo et al., 2015). Obesity has become an epidemic in developed countries. The highest epidemiological levels of childhood obesity have been in developed countries; nevertheless, its incidence is also increasing in developing countries. The inherent hormonal differences make females more vulnerable to obesity compared to males (Cuda &Censani, 2018).  There has been a drastic increase in the number of children suffering from obesity in the last four decades (Cuda & Censani, 2018).   Thus, childhood obesity has become a severe health problem in the 21^st century (Williams & Greene, 2018). It is steadily affecting the lives of children in low and middle-income countries.

Definition

Although there have been changes in the definition of obesity among children, the Body Mass Index is significant in determining children or adolescents who are obese or overweight. Children of a similar age who have a BMI that is at or higher than the 85^th percentile or lower than the 95^th percentile are overweight (Sahoo et al., 2015). On the other hand, obesity is the Body Mass Index that is higher than the 95^th percentile among teens and children of similar sex and age (Sahoo et al., 2015). The Body Mass Index for teens and children is known as BMI-for-age (Sahoo et al., 2015).  Thus, the age-and-sex percentile for children is used to determine the weight of children. This is because the composition of children’s bodies differs according to sex and they age.

Epidemiology

There has been a dramatic increase in the global prevalence of childhood obesity. The number of obese and overweight children has increased by 47.1% from1980 to 2013 (Williams & Greene, 2018).  It was estimated that in 2014 that 41 million who were below five years were overweight and obese (Williams & Greene, 2018). In America, it was estimated that 17% of children and adolescents between the ages of 2 to 19 years were suffering from obesity from 2011 to 2014 (Williams & Greene, 2018). 5.8% of them were suffering from extreme obesity (Williams & Greene, 2018).  The prevalence of obesity among children aged 2-19 in the United States increased to 18.5% from 2015 to 2016 (Williams &Greene, 2018).

Clinical Presentation

Children can have varying weights at different developmental stages; thus, the symptoms of obesity may also vary. Some of the common symptoms of obesity among children include; shortness of breath during physical activities, persistent stretch marks around the abdomen and on the hips, high rate of constipation, delayed puberty among boys, and irregular menstrual cycles among girls. Flat-feet or knock-knees are also common among children who have obesity. However, these symptoms are not reliable in determining if a child has obesity.  A Body Mass Index that is above 95% is the most reliable symptom for obesity in children (Cuda & Censani, 2018).

Complications

Childhood obesity can cause complications to the physical, emotional, and social wellbeing of a child. Obesity in children has several negative consequences and complications that may require the intervention of health professionals.  Obesity causes high blood pressure, asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, hyperinsulinemia, depression, and endothelial dysfunction (Sahoo et al., 2015).  It can also result in insulin resistance syndrome, which has been diagnosed in children who are even five years (Sahoo et al., 2015).

Diagnosis

The Body Mass Index is used by doctors to determine if a child has obesity. The BMI of a child helps the health professional to obtain a percentile ranking (Cuda & Censani, 2018). It relates weight to height, and it may also indicate the amount of fat in the body of a child. A child whose BMI is between the 95^th percentile is considered to be obese (Cuda & Censani, 2018).  Therefore, if a child has obesity, he or she should undergo a physical exam and assess if they have high blood pressure, diabetes, menstrual problems, and psychological problems (Cuda & Censani, 2018).

Conclusion

Obesity is a chronic disease such that when it begins during childhood, it may lead to psychological and medical complications. Besides, the condition could result in early mortality of children.  Children who have obesity have a Body Mass Index that is above the 95^th percentile.  Obese children are likely to suffer from several complications such as Type 2 Diabetes, depression, and Obstructive Sleep Apnea.  Therefore, effective treatment methods should be implemented to reduce obesity incidence in children.

References

Cuda, S. E., & Censani, M. (2018). Pediatric Obesity Algorithm: A Practical Approach to Obesity Diagnosis and Management. Frontiers in pediatrics, 6.

Sahoo, K., Sahoo, B., Choudhury, A. K., Sofi, N. Y., Kumar, R., & Bhadoria, A. S. (2015). Childhood obesity: causes and consequences. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 4(2), 187.

Williams, S. E., & Greene, J. L. (2018). Childhood overweight and obesity: Affecting factors, education, and intervention. J Child Obes Vol, (3).