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OBESITY

OBESITY TRENDS
Childhood obesity has more than doubled in the United States since the late 1970's. Seventy percent of children, ages ten to thirteen, whose obesity goes untreated, will become obese adults. Around 300,000 premature deaths each year can be linked to poor nutrition and a lack of physical activity. In the year 2000, there were three hundred million obese adults worldwide (that's 300,000,000!) (1)

DEFINING OBESITY
Obesity is determined using the Body Mass Index chart. The Body Mass Index (BMI) number is calculated utilizing measurements of a person's height and weight. A person with a BMI that falls above the ninety-fifth percentile is considered overweight. A BMI that falls between the eighty-fifth and ninety-fifth percentile places one at risk for being overweight. (2) BMI charts are available online at www.cdc.gov/growthcharts. (3) (Please note that a high BMI may be calculated for persons with a large amount of muscle mass. This does not mean they are overweight when the excess weight is related to muscle and not fat.) So how do the terms "overweight" and "obesity" compare? "Overweight" is defined as described above. "Obesity" is a term that refers to being extremely overweight. (2)

BECOMING OBESE
Obesity is obviously related to an imbalance between food intake and physical activity. (2) But, with children, there are three important periods of time when they are most likely to gain fat. Recognizing these periods and what to do, as parents, is an important factor in the prevention of childhood obesity. These three periods are infancy, late preschool years, and adolescence.
Parents should be aware that breast-feeding helps prevent childhood obesity. When a baby breast-feeds, he eats until he's full, not until the supply runs out. This teaches the infant to recognize when he's satisfied, and satiety triggers the infant to then stop eating. Parents who bottle feed should look for cues of satiety and should be aware of the signs of under or overfeeding.
A child's BMI will decrease from infancy until sometime between the ages of four and eight when the BMI will again start to increase. A child who gains weight too rapidly at this stage of life is at risk for developing childhood obesity. Parents should be aware of appropriate portion sizes for their children and should provide good food options.
Adolescence is a time of discovery and independence. A teen who doesn't understand the implications of fast food, candy, and soda pop may be on the fast track to developing less than desirable eating habits. A nutritionally poor diet high in fat, calories, and sugar will obviously put one at risk for becoming overweight and possibly even obese. (4)

COMPLICATIONS RELATED TO OBESITY
Obesity can cause a variety of other issues to deal with. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and type 2 diabetes are all possible complications (and that's just to name a few.) These health concerns are usually seen among the adult population, but with the ever increasing trends of obesity, these problems are being seen more and more frequently with children. Obesity, especially among children, can also cause poor self-esteem, depression, and anger. (3)

PREVENTING OBESITY

Don't: Use food as a reward.
  Insist your children clean their plates.
  Completely eliminate sweets and snacks.
  Set a bad example. (1)
  Allow computer use and television watching in excess.

Do: Encourage your kids to drink water instead of soda.
  Identify sources of excess calories and cut back on those culprits. (5)
  Encourage your kids to exercise.
  Eat meals as a family.
  Set a good example. (1)

REFERENCES
1. The Nemours Foundation. "KidsHealth. The Obesity Epidemic - Positive Changes on the Horizon." 2003.
http://www.kidshealth.org/breaking_news/obesity_epidemic_positive_changes.html
2. The Nemours Foundation. "TeensHealth. Obesity." 2003. http://www.teenshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/ (14 Nov 2003).
3. Frost, Pat. "Childhood Obesity (First of a two-part series). Pandemic Putting More Children At Risk." NurseWeek 27 Oct 2003:27-28.
4. Frost, Pat. "Childhood Obesity (Second of a two-part series). Prevention And Management." NurseWeek 10 Nov 2003:24-25.
5. The Nemours Foundation. "TeensHealth. How Can I Lose Weight Safely?" 2002. http://www.teenshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/ (14 Nov 2003).