Childhood obesity
 How is obesity measured in children?
Childhood obesity has usually been categorised using measures such as weight for height and weight for age. Recently, attention has focused on the use of the body mass index (BMI)(kg/m2). Age-related body mass index centile charts are available based on population norms. Overweight and obesity are usually defined as the 85th and 95th centiles for the child’s age. However, researchers have been dissatisfied with a reliance on these charts...
How common is childhood obesity?
It is difficult to get an accurate figure for the prevalence of childhood obesity in the UK as it represents something of a moving target. There has been a well-documented increase in the numbers of overweight and obese children over the last 10 years...
Is childhood obesity becoming more common?
Yes, recent figures have shown an alarming increase in childhood obesity in the UK and follow the trends seen for adult obesity. Adult obesity increased in England from 6% of men and 8% of women in 1980 to 21% of men and 23.5% of women in 2001 – a three-fold increase in 20 years. Similar increases are seen in children...
Does childhood obesity persist into adulthood?
Obesity during infancy is not a strong predictor of obesity in adulthood but the risk increases with increasing age of the child, degree of obesity and the presence of parental obesity. Obese children and especially obese adolescents, are more likely than normal weight peers to become obese adults...
What are the causes of obesity in childhood?
As for adult-onset obesity, the causes of childhood obesity are complex and multifactorial. It seems probable that an unknown degree of individual susceptibility interacts with readily available food, and an environment that is less user friendly for activity and seductive for inactivity...
How should childhood obesity be managed?
Not all children and adolescents who are overweight or obese will need the services of a health professional. It is important, therefore, to have a sound idea of when a child requires only advice and monitoring, and when he or she needs more intensive intervention...
What are the health risks of childhood obesity?
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...
|
