According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, which is a major concern as obesity can lead to many health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. If you have children or are planning on having children, this condition is something you will want to educate yourself on. This article will discuss what causes childhood obesity and how you can help your child avoid it.
What Is Childhood Obesity?
Child obesity is when excess body fat negatively affects a child’s health or well-being. As body mass index (BMI) increases, so does the risk of developing various health problems. To calculate BMI, experts use a child’s height and weight measurements. For example, a reading of 25 or more is obese, while a reading above 30 is considered severely obese. Unfortunately, childhood obesity has become a severe problem in recent years.
A total of 43 million children (35 million in developing countries) were estimated to be overweight or obese; 92 million were at risk of being overweight worldwide as of 2010. And in the United States, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled over the past 30 years. While the causes of childhood obesity are complex, many factors can contribute to the problem, including poor diet and lack of exercise.
Childhood obesity can have lasting effects on a child’s physical and emotional health. In addition to increasing the risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, it can also lead to low self-esteem and feelings of isolation as well as others. Fortunately, there are steps that parents and caregivers can take to help prevent childhood obesity.
The Lasting Effects Of Childhood Obesity
At the end of the last section, you briefly learned about some lasting effects childhood obesity can have on a person’s health. In this section, we will expand on that a bit more.
Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
As you have read, once a child becomes obese, they are at increased risk for many health problems, including type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin, a hormone that helps to regulate blood sugar levels. Over time, this can lead to dangerously high blood sugar levels, which can cause severe damage to the body.
Risk Of Heart Disease
Not only does childhood obesity lead to health problems in children, but it also increases the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. One of the most serious effects of childhood obesity is heart disease. Obese children are more likely to have high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which can damage the heart and blood vessels. In addition, obese children are more likely to become obese adults, and obesity is a significant risk factor for heart disease.
Low Self-Esteem
Low self-esteem is one of the most common and lasting effects of childhood obesity. Children who are obese often suffer from bullies and teasing from their peers, which lead to feelings of isolation, shame, and worthlessness. Even after children lose weight, they may still suffer from low self-esteem. Studies have shown that children who were obese are more likely to have lower self-esteem as adults, even if they are now a healthy weight.
Low self-esteem can lead to depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems. It can also make it difficult to form healthy relationships and achieve success. If you are struggling with low self-esteem, please seek help from a mental health professional. You deserve to feel good about yourself, no matter your size.
