Girls BMI-for-Age Percentile Chart                                                         Boys BMI-for-Age Percentile Chart
Childhood

Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. It affects more than 30 percent of children, making it the most common chronic disease of childhood. This number has more than tripled since 1980.

How Childhood Obesity is Measured?
Obesity in children is determined by using BMI-for-age percentiles. BMI-for-age percentiles have emerged as the favored method to measure weight status in children. This method calculates your child’s weight category based on age and BMI, which is a calculation of weight and height. However, it should be kept in mind that this method, among other methods, should be used as a tool, and only a physician can best determine and diagnose weight status in your child.
Risks Associated with Childhood Obesity

Children who are considered obese are 70 percent more likely to continue being obese into adulthood. In addition, they are at greater risk for serious medical issues such as:.

·         Heart disease    ·         High cholesterol     ·         High blood pressure

·         Diabetes            ·         Sleep apnea            ·         Cancer

Aside from the clinical perspective, children who are obese face social discrimination, leading to low self-esteem and depression.

Causes of Childhood Obesity
Although the causes of childhood obesity are widespread, certain factors are targeted as major contributors to this epidemic. Causes include:

·         Environment           ·         Lack of physical activity    ·         Heredity and Family

·         Dietary Patterns                                                    ·         Socioeconomic status

Environment

Today’s environment plays a major role in shaping the habits and perceptions of children and adolescents. The prevalence of television commercials promoting unhealthy foods and eating habits is a large contributor. In addition, children are surrounded by environmental influences that demote the importance of physical activity.

Today, it is estimated that approximately 40 to 50 percent of every dollar that is spent on food is spent on food outside the home in restaurants, cafeterias, sporting events, etc. In addition, as portion sizes have increased, when people eat out they tend to eat a larger quantity of food (calories) than when they eat at home.

Beverages such as soda and juice boxes also greatly contribute to the childhood obesity epidemic. It is not uncommon for a 32 ounce soda to be marketed toward children, which contains approximately 400 calories. The consumption of soda by children has increased throughout the last 20 years by 300 percent. Scientific studies have documented a 60 percent increase risk of obesity for every regular soda consumed per day. Box drinks, juice, fruit drinks and sports drinks present another significant problem. These beverages contain a significant amount of calories and it is estimated that 20 percent of children who are currently overweight are overweight due to excessive caloric intake from beverages.

Lack of Physical Activity
Children in today’s society show a decrease in overall physical activity. The growing use of computers, increased time watching television and decreased physical education in schools, all contribute to children and adolescents living a more sedentary lifestyle.

Another major factor contributing to the childhood obesity epidemic is the increased sedentary lifestyle of children. School-aged children spend most of their day in school where their only activity comes during recess or physical education classes. In the past, physical education was required on a daily basis. Currently, only 8 percent of elementary schools and less than 7 percent of middle schools and high schools have daily physical education requirements in the U.S.

Heredity and Family

Science shows that genetics play a role in obesity. It has been proven that children with obese parents are more likely to be obese. Estimates say that heredity contributes between 5 to 25 percent of the risk for obesity.

However, genes alone do not always dictate whether a child is overweight or obese. Learned behaviors from parents are a major contributor. Parents, especially of those whose children are at risk for obesity at a young age, should promote healthy food and lifestyle choices early in their development.

Dietary Patterns

Over the past few decades, dietary patterns have changed significantly. The average amount of calories consumed per day by has dramatically increased. Furthermore, the increase in caloric intake has also decreased the nutrients needed for a healthy diet.

Food portions also play an important role in the unhealthy diet patterns that have evolved. The prevalence of “super size” options and “all you can eat” buffets create a trend in overeating. Combined with a lack of physical activity, children are consuming more and burning off less.

Socioeconomic Status

Children and adolescents that come from lower-income homes are at greater risk of being obese. This is a result of several factors that influence behaviors and activities.

Lower-income children cannot always afford to partake in extracurricular activities, resulting in a decrease in physical activity. In addition, families who struggle to pay bills and make a living often opt for convenience foods, which are higher in calories, fat and sugar.

Educational levels also contribute to the socioeconomic issue associated with obesity. Parents with little to no education have not been exposed to information about proper nutrition and healthy food choices. This makes it difficult to instill those important values in their children.

What to do about Treating Childhood Obesity
Treating obesity in children and adolescents differs from treatment in adults. Involving the family in a child’s weight management program is a key element to treatment. As a support system, family is integral in ensuring weight management goals are met.

It is important to talk with your physician about options for treating childhood obesity. The various treatments of obesity in children and adolescents include: 

Diet therapy    ·         Physical activity    ·         Behavior modification    ·         Surgery

Diet Therapy

When treating an obese child or adolescent, it is often recommended that they have a consultation with a nutritionist that specializes in children’s needs. Nutritionists can best help children understand healthy eating habits and how to implement them in their long-term diet.

In some cases, nutritionists do not always recommend restricting caloric intake for children. Education on how to read food labels, cut back on portions, understand the food pyramid and eat smaller bites at a smaller pace is generally the information given to change a child’s eating habits.

Physical Activity

Another form of treatment of obesity in children is increasing physical activity. Physical activity is an important long-term ingredient for children, as studies indicate that inactivity in childhood has been linked to a sedentary adult lifestyle.

Increasing physical activity can decrease, or at least slow the increase, in fatty tissues in obese children. The US Surgeon General recommends that children get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Individualized programs are available and possible for those children or adolescents that are not able to meet minimum expectations.

Behavior Modification

Lifestyles and behaviors are established at a young age. It is important for parents and children to remain educated and focused on making long-term healthy lifestyle choices.

There are several ways that children and adolescents can modify their behavior for healthier outcomes, such as: changing eating habits, increasing physical activity, becoming educated about the body and how to nourish it appropriately, engaging in a support group or extracurricular activity and setting realistic weight management goals.

Surgery

While surgery has been performed on adolescents in extreme cases to treat obesity, it is only considered for those with severe medical conditions that can be improved by surgery.

A little something from Angie
Everybody Loves Chubby Babies

Obesity in children and adolescents is a serious issue with many health and social consequences that often continue into adulthood. Implementing prevention programs and getting a better understanding of treatment for youngsters is important to controlling the obesity epidemic.

Parents are right to be concerned about their child's weight and how it affects them. They look for specific answers for prevention and treatment options. Unfortunately, the state of the science is a lot less precise than we would like.

Are kids too concerned about their weight?  What are the best strategies for prevention?  What treatments work over a long time?  Researchers are trying to answer those and many other questions. In many cases, common sense works well.

Everybody loves chubby babies, they are so cute! Some cultures believe that having a chubby baby is a sign of wealth. "It's just baby fat", we tell ourselves, and "She will lose it when she grows up". That's not necessarily true.

While there can be some genetic influence, obesity is usually caused by kids eating too much and exercising too little. Childhood obesity is an epidemic and should be a significant cause of concern for all parents. The US Department of health estimates that 50% of children under the age of 12 are obese, a statistic that has nearly doubled in the past 20 years, with even two- and three-year-olds falling victim to the disease of obesity.

More and more children are being diagnosed with adult conditions associated with obesity, such as sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. In addition, approximately 25-50% of obese children become obese adults.

The social aspects of obesity can be devastating for a child. Obese children are made fun of, picked on and not allowed to participate in childhood games and sports. You can pick up the newspaper and read stories of children killing themselves over being tormented at school.

It's never too late, and no child is ever too young to start forming a healthy lifestyle by eating right and exercising. But it's highly unlikely to happen unless parents take on their responsibility. Make meal time fun! Let your children help with the preparation of fruits and vegetables for meal and snack time. They'll enjoy eating something that they themselves helped prepare.

While it's true that many children don't like some of the healthier foods, this is usually because they haven't been exposed to them. And let's face it-the apple industry doesn't have an equivalent of Ronald McDonald talking to our kids in their favorite TV shows. Continue serving healthier foods until your child begins to develop a taste for them and starts enjoying it.

Make sure healthy foods are readily available, and remove high-calorie, high-fat foods, such as chips, cakes, ice cream and soda from the home. Many parents are just as taken in as children when it comes to creative marketing. A Fruit Roll Up is NOT the same as an apple. Today, television, video games, and computer activities have become the babysitter for our children, resulting in kids living a couch potato lifestyle, thus making physical activity less common.

Creating new family habits around healthy eating and increased physical activity can help children lose weight and gain self confidence. This will also improve the health of other members of the family, by setting good examples of a healthy lifestyle.

Physical activity can be a great way to spend quality time with your children: A walk at the park, playing with your child on the playground, riding bikes, playing a game of freeze tag, running a race up a hill, or playing a game of baseball. Just get your kids moving! It is so important for the health of your entire family.

According to the Centers for Disease Control CDC 2005 BRFSS,3701, Ethnicity matters, too. For example in Texas in 2005, Caucasians were the healthiest and still 60.1 percent were overweight or obese. 71 percent of Hispanics were overweight or obese. Blacks were the most likely ethnic group to be overweight or obese, with 75.7 percent falling into one category or the other.