Compared to children with healthy weight, children with overweight or obesity are at a higher risk for asthma, sleep apnea, bone and joint problems, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Children with obesity are also more likely to experience bullying, social isolation, depression, and lower self-esteem.
Why is childhood obesity a public health problem?
Children who have obesity are more likely to have: High blood pressure and high cholesterol, which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Increased risk of impaired glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Breathing problems, such as asthma and sleep apnea.
Why is child obesity so important?
A primary reason that prevention of obesity is so vital in children is because the likelihood of childhood obesity persisting into adulthood increases as the child ages. This puts the person at high risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
When did childhood obesity become a public health problem?
The magnitude of the problem
Changes in obesity prevalence from the 1960s show a rapid increase in the 1980s and 1990s, when obesity prevalence among children and teens tripled, from nearly 5% to approximately 15% (Figure 1) (1). During the past 10 years, the rapid increase in obesity has slowed and might have leveled.
How does childhood obesity affect the healthcare system?
Emerging evidence suggests that overweight and obesity in childhood can also increase the risk of childhood health problems including asthma, sleep apnea, hypertension, abnormal glucose intolerance, and even type 2 diabetes, which until recently was thought only applicable to adults (Must and Anderson 2003; Daniels …
Why is obesity a problem in society?
Obesity is serious because it is associated with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced quality of life. Obesity is also associated with the leading causes of death in the United States and worldwide, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.
How does childhood obesity affect quality of life?
Study of clinical sample of severely obese children and adolescents concluded that obese children were over five times more likely to report poor quality of life scores when compared to healthy-weight children (10).
Studies indicate that school-aged children with obesity experience a 63% higher chance of being bullied. When children and youth are bullied or victimized because of their weight by peers, family and friends, it can trigger feelings of shame and lead to depression, low self-esteem, poor body image and even suicide.
Childhood obesity isn’t just a public health issue, it’s a social justice issue. It disproportionately affects the poor and minorities. It’s also one of those rare cases where the major domestic challenges of our time — education, health care, poverty — intersect, and where small changes can have a big impact.
Is childhood obesity a global health issue?
Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century. The problem is global and is steadily affecting many low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. The prevalence has increased at an alarming rate.
How obesity affects health care system?
The increased prevalence of obesity has been associated with increases in cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, degenerative joint disease requiring joint replacement, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, sleep apnea, cognitive dysfunction and others.
How does obesity affect health services?
Being obese can also increase your risk of developing many potentially serious health conditions, including: type 2 diabetes. high blood pressure. high cholesterol and atherosclerosis (where fatty deposits narrow your arteries), which can lead to coronary heart disease and stroke.
How does obesity affect the health industry?
That sharp increase in the fraction of adults who are overweight or obese poses an important public health challenge. Those adults are more likely to develop serious illnesses, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension. As a result, that trend also affects spending on health care.