By Traci Rush, B.A.

Today, between 5 and 25 percent of children and teenagers in the United States are obese. Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat. Obesity is present in children when total body weight is more than 25 percent fat in boys and 32 percent fat in girls.

Not all obese children grow up to be obese adults, but there is a greater possibility that obesity beginning even in early childhood will persist through the life span. In addition, childhood obesity is the leading cause of pediatric hypertension, is associated with Type II Diabetes, increases the risk of coronary heart disease, and increases the stress on weight-bearing joints. The most significant consequences of obesity in children are low self-esteem and negative effects in relationships with peers.

There are multiple causes of childhood obesity, mostly centering around the imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Childhood obesity most likely results from a number of factors, including nutritional, psychological, familial and physiological factors. The risk of becoming obese is greatest among children who have two obese parents. This can either be because of genetics or poor parental modeling. Obesity is greater among children and adolescents who frequently watch television, not only because of the low energy expenditure, but also because of the consumption of high-calorie snacks. Because not all children who watch too much television, eat non-nutritiously, or exercise minimally are obese, the search for other factors continues. Heredity has recently been shown to influence fatness, regional fat distribution and response to overeating.

Treatment programs for obese children and adolescents rarely have weight loss as a goal. Rather, increasing physical activity, diet management and behavior modification are encouraged. Obesity is easier to prevent than treat, and prevention focuses mainly on parent education. Parents should educate their children on proper nutrition, selection of nutritious snacks, good exercise and activity levels, and monitoring of television viewing.

For additional information please contact NIFS at 317.274.3432.