Experts Weigh In On Childhood Obesity

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obeseboyvectoreatingFrom Your Health Journal…..”I had to promote a wonderful article I read on the ABC News web site written by Dr. Rebecca Sharim Storace entitled Experts Weigh In On Childhood Obesity. Obesity is a growing concern for adults and children. More than one-third of the children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese, according to 2010 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 1980, the number of obese children and adolescents has almost tripled, a jump attributed in part to poor food choices and insufficient physical activity. Obesity related illness in children is also up as many suffer from risk factors for heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, asthma, and weaker joints. Children today have become very sedentary. They are overly involved in technology, eat poorly and too often, get less sleep, and less physical activity. According to the CDC, roughly 70 percent of obese youth are thought to have at least one risk factor for heart disease. Very scary stats. So, please visit the ABC News web site (link provided below) to read this complete article. It was well written, educational, and informative.”

From the article…..

Obesity in America is a growing problem, and not just in adults. More than a third of the children and adolescents in the United States are overweight or obese, according to 2010 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And since 1980, the number of obese children and adolescents has almost tripled, a jump attributed in part to poor food choices and insufficient physical activity.

Despite the ballooning problem, parents and doctors often find the topic of childhood obesity difficult to discuss. To start the conversation, ABC News’ chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser hosted a Twitter Chat on the subject Tuesday. Experts from the CDC, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as clinicians, parents and others with personal experience joined in the one-hour discussion.

Here, some of the highlights.

The Risks Are Overwhelming

“Childhood obesity affects every organ system in the body,” tweeted Dr. Seema Kumar, the director of the Pediatric Weight Management Program at Mayo Clinic.

The risks include diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. In fact, roughly 70 percent of obese youth are thought to have at least one risk factor for heart disease, according to the CDC. What’s more, experts agree that obese youth are at high risk of becoming obese adults, prompting even more health problems, including joint disease, heart disease, sleep apnea and certain cancers.

The health risks of obesity are not only physical, they’re psychological as well. Childhood obesity has been linked to depression, anxiety and poor self-esteem.

“Overweight children are also more likely to be bullied,” tweeted Thomas McInerny, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

To read the complete article…..Click here