This section has been adapted from Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network: Obesity in Children and Young People: A national clinical guideline No.69
For more information on these guidelines see www.sign.ac.uk The greatest risk of childhood obesity is that it persists into adulthood. Obese children carry a high risk of acute and chronic diseases, reduced life expectancy and lower income in later life.
Cardiovascular risk factors Several cardiovascular risk factors are associated with childhood obesity including, increased blood pressure, adverse blood lipid profiles, adverse changes in left ventricular mass and hyperinsulinaemia. They are exacerbated in children with central adiposity (ie a high waist/hip ratio) and with a family history of coronary heart disease. As a consequence of this there has been an increase in the prevalence of adolescent Type 2 diabetes. This used to be known as “adult-onset” diabetes. These cardiovascular risk factors can also be carried over into adulthood. Obese adolescents have a reduced life expectancy than their normal weight peers.
Other complications Childhood obesity is also associated with an increased risk of developing asthma and of exacerbating pre-existing asthma; of abnormalities of foot structure and function and of increased risk of Type 1 diabetes.
Psychological consequences There are also psychological consequences of childhood obesity. Obesity in childhood and adolescence is associated with poor self-esteem, being perceived as unattractive, depression, disordered eating, bulimia and body dissatisfaction. However, the parents’ attitude to obesity and their own pyschological problems might have more bearing on the child’s pyschological distress than does their BMI. Childhood obesity is also associated with lower educational attainment and lower income in women.
