Overweight and obese children more likely to develop diabetes and high blood pressure
of ConsumerAffairsWe all want our children to grow up to be big, strong and healthy. Well, strong and healthy anyway. Many them are already too big ... and getting bigger, researchers say.
The United States leads the world in producing obese and overweight children but other countries are close behind. In fact, since 1990, the rise in childhood overweight and obesity has surged across every continent, almost doubling in prevalence.
Globally, Asia has nearly half of all overweight children under the age of 5, and Africa has one-quarter of such children. In Latin America, about 20% of children under 20 are overweight. Many developing countries face the dual challenge of both overweight/obesity and malnutrition in their children.
The consequences are already evident: childhood hypertension and type 2 diabetes, among others. Researchers fromFlorida Atlantic UniversitysSchmidt College of Medicineand colleagues sound the alarm and discuss both challenges and potential solutions in a commentary published inThe Maternal and Child Health Journal.
Pediatric overweight and obesity have reached epidemic levels in the U.S. and are becoming a pandemic globally," saidCharles H. Hennekens, M.D., first author of the study and a professor of medicine at FAU.
"These conditions lead to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and lipid disorders, which contribute to metabolic syndrome. In adults, these issues significantly increase the risks of heart attacks, stroke, liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, arthritis and certain cancers many of which are now occurring at younger ages, Hennekens said.
Leading causes
In the commentary, the authors report on the leading causes of this epidemic including high body mass index (BMI), which increases the risks of many serious health issues. In the U.S., a preschooler is considered overweight if their BMI exceeds the 85th percentile.
Research shows that these children are at a significantly higher risk of being overweight during adolescence compared to those with a BMI at the 50th percentile. This underscores the misconception that children simply outgrow overweight issues.
Boosting children's daily physical activity is crucial for increasing metabolic rates, lowering BMI, and reducing future risks of coronary heart disease, researchers say.
With declining physical education in schools and excessive time spent on electronic devices, many children fail to meet recommended activity guidelines. This sedentary behavior contributes to overweight and obesity through poor diet, reduced sleep, and decreased physical activity, saidPanagiota Yiota Kitsantas, Ph.D., co-author of the studyand FAU professor.Encouraging organized, enjoyable activities rather than competitive ones can help children achieve necessary physical activity levels.
Physical activity not enough
The authors also caution that while increasing levels of daily physical activity is necessary, it isnt sufficient to make a major impact on the rates of childhood overweight and obesity. The rise of high sugar containing foods, along with consumption of ultra-processed foods also are major contributors.
Nearly 70% of the average U.S.-based childs diet is made up of ultra-processed foods, said Hennekens. Moreover, consumption of ultra-processed foods among children under 24 months is rising worldwide, triggering not only the potential of developing obesity but also decreased immunological protection.
The authors say that more research is needed to pinpoint which components of ultra-processed foods contribute to weight gain in children. However, they warn that a diet high in ultra-processed foods is linked to rising rates of overweight and obesity, with schools being a major source of these foods.
Evidence suggests that enhancing school lunch nutritional standards could help reduce obesity, particularly among low-income children, said Kitsantas. We recommend adopting school food policies that remove ultra-processed foods from menus and promote healthier alternatives, alongside educational programs on healthy eating, despite the challenges posed by external influences on children.
Among the challenges highlighted in the commentary is the use of social media and advertising, which significantly affect childrens food choices and behaviors that include sharing unhealthy food posts and recognizing many unhealthy food brands upon exposure.
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Posted: 2024-09-26 19:46:20
