How has childhood obesity become a global health crisis. What are the current trends in different regions. How can we implement effective prevention strategies. What role does diet and physical activity play in obesity prevention. How do socioeconomic factors influence childhood obesity rates. What are the long-term health consequences of childhood obesity. How can parents and schools work together to combat this issue.

The Rising Tide of Childhood Obesity: A Global Perspective

Childhood obesity has emerged as one of the most pressing public health challenges of the 21st century. The dramatic increase in overweight and obese children worldwide has alarmed health professionals, policymakers, and parents alike. This article delves into the current state of childhood obesity, exploring its prevalence, causes, and potential solutions.

Defining the Problem: What Constitutes Childhood Obesity?

Before we dive into the statistics, it’s crucial to understand how childhood obesity is defined. Different organizations use varying criteria:

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines obesity based on BMI percentiles for age and sex.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) uses weight-for-height standards.
• The International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) employs age-specific BMI cut-offs.

These differing definitions can sometimes make it challenging to compare data across regions and studies.

Global Trends: A Staggering Increase

The global prevalence of childhood obesity has risen dramatically over the past few decades. In 2010, an estimated 43 million preschool children (under age 5) were overweight or obese worldwide, marking a 60% increase since 1990. Even more concerning is the projection that by 2020, if the current trend continues, nearly 60 million preschoolers (9% of all preschoolers) will be overweight or obese.

Regional Disparities: Where is Childhood Obesity Most Prevalent?

While childhood obesity is a global issue, its prevalence varies significantly across different regions and countries. Let’s examine some key areas:

North America: A Worrying Leader

The United States has seen a tripling of childhood obesity rates over the past three decades. Currently, one out of six children is obese, and one out of three is overweight or obese. Some notable trends in the U.S. include:

• Higher obesity rates in boys (19%) compared to girls (15%)
• Increased obesity rates among non-Hispanic black boys
• Higher rates among Hispanic (21%) and non-Hispanic black (24%) youth compared to non-Hispanic white youth (14%)

Canada, while faring slightly better, has also seen a significant increase in childhood obesity since the late 1970s. In 2007-2008, nearly 9% of Canadian youth ages 6 to 17 were obese.

Latin America and the Caribbean: An Emerging Concern

Although data from this region is less comprehensive, it’s clear that childhood overweight and obesity have become substantial issues. In many Latin American countries, more children are now overweight than underweight, signaling a shift in nutritional challenges.

Europe: A Mixed Picture

European countries show varying rates of childhood obesity, with some southern European nations having higher prevalence compared to their northern counterparts. For instance:

• In England, about 28% of children aged 2-15 were overweight or obese in 2018
• In Italy, approximately 36% of 9-year-olds were overweight or obese in 2019

The Nutrition Transition: How Globalization Impacts Childhood Obesity

One of the key factors driving the global increase in childhood obesity is the phenomenon known as the “nutrition transition.” As countries become wealthier and more urbanized, traditional diets are often replaced by more Western-style food habits. This transition typically involves:

• Increased consumption of processed foods high in sugar and unhealthy fats
• Greater reliance on convenience foods and fast food
• Reduced intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
• Higher calorie consumption overall

This shift in dietary patterns, coupled with increasingly sedentary lifestyles, has contributed significantly to the rise in childhood obesity rates, particularly in developing countries.

The Double Burden of Malnutrition

Paradoxically, many low- and middle-income countries now face a dual challenge: the persistent problem of undernutrition alongside the growing issue of obesity. This “double burden of malnutrition” presents a complex public health challenge, requiring nuanced approaches to address both ends of the malnutrition spectrum.

Health Consequences: The Long-Term Impact of Childhood Obesity

The health implications of childhood obesity are far-reaching and can persist into adulthood. Obese children are at higher risk for numerous health problems, including:

• Cardiovascular diseases
• Type 2 diabetes
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Certain types of cancer
• Psychological issues such as low self-esteem and depression

Moreover, children who are overweight or obese are more likely to remain so into adulthood, further increasing their risk of chronic diseases later in life.

Beyond Physical Health: Social and Emotional Toll

The impact of childhood obesity extends beyond physical health. Overweight and obese children often face social stigma, bullying, and discrimination, which can lead to:

• Lower academic achievement
• Reduced social interactions
• Increased risk of anxiety and depression
• Poor body image and self-esteem issues

Addressing these psychosocial aspects is crucial in any comprehensive approach to tackling childhood obesity.

Prevention Strategies: Combating Childhood Obesity on Multiple Fronts

Preventing and reducing childhood obesity requires a multi-faceted approach involving various stakeholders, including families, schools, communities, and policymakers. Here are some key strategies:

1. Promoting Healthy Eating Habits

Encouraging children to adopt healthy eating habits from an early age is crucial. This can involve:

• Educating parents and children about balanced nutrition
• Increasing access to fresh fruits and vegetables in schools and communities
• Implementing policies to reduce the marketing of unhealthy foods to children
• Encouraging breastfeeding, which has been associated with lower obesity risk

2. Encouraging Physical Activity

Regular physical activity is essential for maintaining a healthy weight. Strategies to promote physical activity include:

• Incorporating more physical education and recess time in schools
• Creating safe spaces for outdoor play in communities
• Encouraging active transportation (walking, biking) to school
• Limiting screen time and promoting active leisure activities

3. School-Based Interventions

Schools play a crucial role in shaping children’s health behaviors. Effective school-based interventions can include:

• Implementing nutrition standards for school meals
• Removing sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks from vending machines
• Integrating nutrition and health education into the curriculum
• Creating school gardens to teach about healthy food

4. Community-Level Initiatives

Community-wide efforts can create environments that support healthy choices:

• Improving access to healthy foods in underserved areas
• Creating more parks and recreational facilities
• Implementing urban planning policies that promote walkability
• Organizing community health fairs and education programs

5. Policy Interventions

Government policies can play a significant role in addressing childhood obesity:

• Implementing taxes on sugary beverages
• Regulating food marketing to children
• Mandating clear nutritional labeling on food products
• Providing incentives for healthy food retailers in low-income areas

The Role of Technology in Obesity Prevention

While excessive screen time is often cited as a contributor to childhood obesity, technology can also be harnessed as part of the solution. Innovative approaches include:

1. Mobile Health Apps

Smartphone applications can help track diet and physical activity, providing motivation and education for children and parents.

2. Gamification of Physical Activity

Interactive video games that require physical movement can make exercise more appealing to children.

3. Telehealth Interventions

Remote consultations with nutritionists and health coaches can provide personalized guidance to families, especially in underserved areas.

4. Social Media Campaigns

Leveraging social media platforms to spread awareness and promote healthy lifestyle choices can reach a wide audience of children and parents.

Addressing Socioeconomic Disparities in Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity rates often reflect broader societal inequalities. Children from lower-income families and certain ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected. Addressing these disparities requires targeted approaches:

1. Improving Food Access

Creating initiatives to bring affordable, healthy food options to low-income neighborhoods can help combat “food deserts.”

2. Cultural Competence in Interventions

Developing obesity prevention programs that are culturally sensitive and tailored to specific communities can improve their effectiveness.

3. Addressing Environmental Factors

Improving the built environment in disadvantaged areas, such as creating safe spaces for physical activity, can promote healthier lifestyles.

4. Educational Initiatives

Providing nutrition and health education that is accessible and relevant to diverse populations can empower families to make healthier choices.

The Future of Childhood Obesity Prevention: Emerging Trends and Innovations

As our understanding of childhood obesity evolves, new approaches and technologies are emerging to combat this global health crisis:

1. Personalized Nutrition

Advances in genetics and microbiome research may lead to more tailored dietary recommendations for children based on their individual biological profiles.

2. Artificial Intelligence in Health Monitoring

AI-powered tools could help predict obesity risk in children and suggest early interventions.

3. Environmental Interventions

Growing awareness of the role of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in obesity may lead to stricter regulations and new prevention strategies.

4. Integration of Mental Health Approaches

Recognizing the strong link between mental health and obesity, future interventions may incorporate psychological support more prominently.

As we continue to grapple with the challenge of childhood obesity, it’s clear that a multifaceted, global approach is necessary. By combining evidence-based strategies, innovative technologies, and a commitment to addressing underlying societal factors, we can work towards a healthier future for children worldwide. The fight against childhood obesity is not just about weight; it’s about ensuring that every child has the opportunity to lead a healthy, fulfilling life.

Child Obesity | Obesity Prevention Source

Too Many Kids Are Too Heavy, Too Young

Childhood obesity has been called “one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century,” and with good reason. (1)

Obesity can harm nearly every system in a child’s body-heart and lungs, muscles and bones, kidneys and digestive tract, as well as the hormones that control blood sugar and puberty-and can also take a heavy social and emotional toll. (2) What’s worse, youth who are overweight or obese have substantially higher odds of remaining overweight or obese into adulthood, (3) increasing their risk of disease and disability later in life.

Globally, an estimated 43 million preschool children (under age 5) were overweight or obese in 2010, a 60 percent increase since 1990. (4) The problem affects countries rich and poor, and by sheer numbers, places the greatest burden on the poorest: Of the world’s 43 million overweight and obese preschoolers, 35 million live in developing countries. By 2020, if the current epidemic continues unabated, 9 percent of all preschoolers will be overweight or obese-nearly 60 million children. (4)

Obesity rates are higher in adults than in children. But in relative terms, the U.S., Brazil, China, and other countries have seen the problem escalate more rapidly in children than in adults. (5)

Of course, some regions still struggle mightily with child hunger, such as Southeastern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. (6) But globalization has made the world wealthier, and wealth and weight are linked.

As poor countries move up the income scale and switch from traditional diets to Western food ways, obesity rates rise. (7) One result of this so-called “nutrition transition” is that low- and middle-income countries often face a dual burden: the infectious diseases that accompany malnutrition, especially in childhood, and, increasingly, the debilitating chronic diseases linked to obesity and Western lifestyles.

It’s surprisingly challenging to track childhood obesity rates across the globe. Many countries do not field nationally representative surveys that measure heights and weights of school-aged children, or don’t have repeated consistent measurements over time. Dueling definitions of childhood obesity-from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF)-further complicate matters, making it hard to compare data between regions.

This article gives a brief overview of global obesity trends in children. A related article covers obesity trends in adults.

North America

Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates have tripled in the U.S., and today, the country has some of the highest obesity rates in the world: one out of six children is obese, and one out of three children is overweight or obese. (8) Though the overall U.S. child obesity rate has held steady since 2008, some groups have continued to see increases, and some groups have higher rates of obesity than others:

• In the 1970s, 5 percent of U. S. children ages 2 to 19 were obese, according to the CDC’s current definition; by 2008, nearly 17 percent of children were obese, a percentage that held steady through 2010. (8,9)
• Obesity is more common in boys than girls (19 percent versus 15 percent). (8)
• Obesity rates in boys increased significantly between 1999 and 2010, especially among non-Hispanic black boys; but obesity rates in girls of all ages and ethnic groups have stayed largely the same. (8)
• Hispanic (21 percent) and non-Hispanic black (24 percent) youth have higher rates of obesity than non-Hispanic white youth (14 percent), a continuing trend. (8)
• Nearly 10 percent of U.S. infants had a high “weight for recumbent length”-a measure that’s similar to the body mass index but used in children from birth to age 2. (8)
• From 1999 to 2010, Mexican American infants were 67 percent more likely to have a high weight for recumbent length than non-Hispanic white infants. (8)

Canada has also seen a rise in childhood obesity since the late 1970s-overall, obesity rates have more than doubled, and in some age groups, tripled. (10) But childhood obesity rates are still a good bit lower there than they are in the U.S. In 2007-2008, nearly 9 percent of Canadian youth ages 6 to 17 were obese, based on the IOTF age-specific cutoffs. (10) Child obesity is a bigger problem among Canada’s Aboriginal groups: A survey of Aboriginal groups who live outside of reservations found that in 2006, nearly 33 percent of children ages 6 to 8 were obese, as were 13 percent of children ages 9 to 14. (10)

Latin America and the Caribbean

Though data are scarce from Latin America and the Caribbean, it’s clear that childhood overweight and obesity have become sizable problems-and that overall, more children in the region are overweight than underweight.

Preschoolers

Roughly 7 percent of children under the age of 5 in Latin America and the Caribbean were estimated to be overweight or obese in 2010, according to the WHO growth standards. (4) While under-nutrition remains a concern in this age group, the region has seen substantial reductions in child underweight over the past two decades, from 7 percent in 1990 to 3 percent in 2010. (6)

School-Age Children and Adolescents

Nationally representative data are limited in these age groups, but again, the best available data suggest that obesity has become a serious problem. In Mexico, for example, a 2006 government health survey measured heights and weights of children across the country. It found that nearly 10 percent of 15-year-olds were obese and 33 percent were overweight or obese, using the adult cut points for overweight (BMI of 25 or higher) and obese (BMI of 30 or higher), cut points that likely underestimate the true rates of overweight and obesity in adolescents. (11) In Argentina, meanwhile, investigators measured heights and weights from a representative sample of 1,688 children ages 10 to 11 in Buenos Aires’ public schools. They found that 35 percent of the children were overweight or obese, using the CDC’s definition, and about 4 percent were underweight. (12) Of note, stunting and overweight coexist in many developing countries, and stunting my increase the risk of obesity later on in life.

Europe

Surprisingly, Europe has less-than-complete data on childhood obesity trends, especially from eastern countries. And until recently, data were not gathered in a consistent way across the continent, making it very hard to compare numbers from country to country. But the best available estimates find that over the past few decades, obesity rates have been rising among children in many countries. (13,14) More recently, rates seem to have hit a plateau in a few countries, among some age groups:

Preschoolers

Overweight and obesity rates at 4 years of age vary quite a bit from country to country, according to a recent systematic review of studies from the 27 countries in the European Union (EU). Spain had the highest rate-just over 32 percent-and Romania had the lowest rate, about 12 percent. (14) Keep in mind, though, that only 18 of 27 countries had data available, and often, the sample sizes were small or the data had other limitations. Five countries had repeated surveys of children ages 2 to 5, offering a glimpse of trends over the past few decades-the Czech Republic, England, France, the Netherlands, and Romania. Of those, only England showed a rise in obesity rates, from about 18 percent in 1995 to 23 percent in 2002.

School-Age Children

The World Health Organization European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative recently began tracking child obesity rates across 15 countries, using the WHO child growth standards. The first analysis, based on 2007-2008 data from 13 countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden), finds that 24 percent of European children ages 6 to 9 are overweight. (15) A second wave of data collection, in 2010, has yet to be reported. Over time, this survey should offer more insights into European trends within and across countries.

Adolescents

Cyprus, Greece, Spain, and England have some of the highest obesity rates among youth ages 10 to 18, according to a recent systematic review of studies from 30 countries (the 27 EU members plus Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland). (13) But again, the data are limited and of varying quality; only 18 of 30 countries had nationally representative data from measured heights and weights. Fourteen countries had trend data available, though some were based on self-reported measures with small samples. (13) Most of these countries showed increases in obesity rates over the past few decades. France, however, showed no changes in obesity rates from 1998 to 2007 in children ages 3 to 14, a finding echoed by subsequent reports. (16–18) Sweden saw no change from 2001 to 2007 among 16-year-old youth, and a more recent review finds obesity rates have held steady in other age groups as well.(18)

Africa

Hunger, underweight, and stunting have long been the more pressing child nutrition concerns across Africa, and even today, 20 to 25 percent of preschoolers in sub-Saharan Africa are underweight. (6) Yet here, too, child obesity rates are on the rise: The percentage of preschoolers in Africa who are overweight or obese more than doubled over the past two decades, from 4 percent in 1990 to 8. 5 percent in 2010. (4) A closer look at the numbers, though, shows much higher rates in Northern Africa than the rest of the continent:

Preschoolers

In Northern Africa, an estimated one in six preschool-aged children is overweight or obese-the highest rate in the world, and triple that in 1990. (4) There’s quite a bit of variability from country to country, however: About 20 percent of Egypt’s preschoolers were overweight or obese in 2008, compared with 5 percent in Sudan. (4)

In sub-Saharan Africa, meanwhile, overweight and obesity rates among preschoolers are still in the single digits-roughly 9 percent in Middle Africa, 6 percent in Western Africa, 7 percent in Eastern Africa, and 8 percent in Southern Africa. (4) But for most of the region, these rates are double or triple what they were two decades ago; only Southern Africa has seen the rate drop slightly since 1990.

Children and Adolescents

There are scant few nationally representative surveys available from older youth in the region, but available data suggest obesity is increasing in this age group, as well. In South Africa, for example, only about 1 percent of youth ages 8 to 11 were overweight or obese in 1994, based on the IOTF cut points. (19) By 2006, about 17 percent of South African girls and 11 percent of boys ages 6 to 13 were overweight or obese. (20)

Asia

There’s quite a bit of diversity from region to region, however. While South Asian countries like Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan have low obesity rates, their large populations add up to large numbers of children who are overweight or obese.Even though child hunger remains the most pressing nutritional concern for much of Asia-n South Asia, for example, one in three preschool children is underweight-the region has also seen dramatic increases in child obesity. Overall in Asia (excluding Japan), nearly 5 percent of preschoolers were estimated to be overweight or obese in 2010, a 53 percent increase in prevalence since 1990. (4) That translates into 17.7 million Asian preschoolers being overweight or obese.

It’s important to note that in Asian adults, the health complications associated with overweight and obesity start at a lower BMI than seen in the U. S. and Europe. So many of these estimates of child obesity prevalence in Asia likely underestimate the true public health burden of obesity in Asia.

Preschoolers

In 2010, preschooler obesity rates were far higher in Western Asia (which includes the Middle East) than in Eastern, Southeastern, or South Central Asia (roughly 15, 5, 5, and 4 percent, respectively). (4) But South Central Asia had the largest number of overweight preschoolers of any region on the world-an estimated 6.6 million children. (4)

School-Age Children and Adolescents

Nationally representative data are scarce for older children in Asia, but taken together, paint a worrisome picture of obesity trends. In China, over the past 20 years, nationally representative studies of youth ages 8 to 18 have shown a dramatic rise in obesity: In 1985, only 2 percent of boys and 1 percent of girls were overweight or obese, based on Chinese-specific cut points (at age 18, a BMI of 24 for overweight and 28 for obesity). By 2005, roughly 14 percent of boys and 9 percent of girls were overweight or obese-a total of 21 million children. (21) In India, meanwhile, the largest study to date covered five urban areas and included nearly 40,000 children ages 8 to 18. It found that 14 percent were overweight or obese-a number that, if extrapolated to urban youth across India, amounts to an estimated 15 million children. (20) In Western Asia, the Arabian Gulf States have especially high rates of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren. A nationally representative Kuwaiti survey in 2006 found that about 44 percent of boys and 46 percent of girls ages 10 to 14 were overweight or obese, according to the CDC’s pre-2000 definition. (22)

Oceania

The major developed countries in Oceania-Australia and New Zealand-have childhood obesity rates in the double digits, but there’s some evidence that rates have hit a plateau over the past decade. (18,23)

In Australia, a systematic review of 41 studies from 1985 through 2008 found that obesity rates in children ages 2 to 18 rose through the mid-1990s, but have held relatively stable since then. (23) In 2008, 21 to 25 percent of Australian boys and girls were overweight or obese, and 5 to 6 percent were obese.

In New Zealand, nationally representative data show that about 28 percent of children ages 5 to 14 were overweight or obese in 2006-2007, a rate that was unchanged from 2002. (18) Overweight and obesity rates are much higher in some of New Zealand’s ethnic groups (Maori, 37 percent, and Pacific Islanders, 57 percent), but are also largely unchanged since 2002.

The Bottom Line: It’s Never Too Early to Start Preventing Obesity

Even among the youngest of children, it’s clear that obesity rates are rising across the globe. Equally clear is that it’s very, very hard for anyone who becomes overweight to lose weight, at any age. Preventing obesity in a child’s earliest years (and even before birth, by healthy habits during pregnancy) confers a lifetime of health benefits. And it’s the most promising path for turning around the global epidemic. (24)

References

1. World Health Organization. Global strategy on diet, physical activity, and health: childhood overweight and obesity. Accessed March 9, 2012.

2. Ebbeling CB, Pawlak DB, Ludwig DS. Childhood obesity: public-health crisis, common sense cure. Lancet. 2002;360:473-82.

3. Singh AS, Mulder C, Twisk JW, van Mechelen W, Chinapaw MJ. Tracking of childhood overweight into adulthood: a systematic review of the literature. Obes Rev. 2008;9:474-88.

4. de Onis M, Blossner M, Borghi E. Global prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity among preschool children. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010;92:1257-64.

5. Popkin BM, Conde W, Hou N, Monteiro C. Is there a lag globally in overweight trends for children compared with adults? Obesity (Silver Spring). 2006;14:1846-53.

6. United Nations. Childinfo.org: Statistics by area / child nutrition / undernutrition / progress. 2012. Accessed March 6, 2012.

7. Popkin BM, Adair LS, Ng SW. Global nutrition transition and the pandemic of obesity in developing countries. Nutr Rev. 2012;70:3-21.

8. Ogden CL, Carroll MD, Kit BK, Flegal KM. Prevalence of obesity and trends in body mass index among US children and adolescents, 1999-2010. JAMA. 2012;307:483-90.

9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NCHS Health EStat: Prevalence of Obesity Among Children and Adolescents: United States, Trends 1963-1965 Through 2007-2008. 2010. Accessed March 2, 2012.

10. Public Health Agency of Canada. Obesity in Canada: A Joint Report from the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institute for Health Information; 2011. In; 2011:12-6.

11. OECD. OECD Family Database. OECD, 2011. Accessed March 5, 2012.

12. Kovalskys I, Rausch Herscovici C, De Gregorio MJ. Nutritional status of school-aged children of Buenos Aires, Argentina: data using three references. J Public Health (Oxf). 2011;33:403-11.

13. Lien N, Henriksen HB, Nymoen LL, Wind M, Klepp KI. Availability of data assessing the prevalence and trends of overweight and obesity among European adolescents. Public Health Nutr. 2010;13:1680-7.

14. Cattaneo A, Monasta L, Stamatakis E, et al. Overweight and obesity in infants and pre-school children in the European Union: a review of existing data. Obes Rev. 2010;11:389-98.

15. World Health Organization / Europe. European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). 2010. Accessed March 6, 2012.

16. Peneau S, Salanave B, Maillard-Teyssier L, et al. Prevalence of overweight in 6- to 15-year-old children in central/western France from 1996 to 2006: trends toward stabilization. Int J Obes (Lond). 2009;33:401-7.

17. Salanave B, Peneau S, Rolland-Cachera MF, Hercberg S, Castetbon K. Stabilization of overweight prevalence in French children between 2000 and 2007. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2009;4:66-72.

18. Olds T, Maher C, Zumin S, et al. Evidence that the prevalence of childhood overweight is plateauing: data from nine countries. Int J Pediatr Obes. 2011;6:342-60.

19. Armstrong ME, Lambert MI, Lambert EV. Secular trends in the prevalence of stunting, overweight and obesity among South African children (1994-2004). Eur J Clin Nutr. 2011;65:835-40.

20. Gupta N, Goel K, Shah P, Misra A. Childhood Obesity in Developing Countries: Epidemiology, Determinants, and Prevention. Endocr Rev. 2012.

21. Ji CY, Cheng TO. Epidemic increase in overweight and obesity in Chinese children from 1985 to 2005. Int J Cardiol. 2009;132:1-10.

22. Ng SW, Zaghloul S, Ali HI, Harrison G, Popkin BM. The prevalence and trends of overweight, obesity and nutrition-related non-communicable diseases in the Arabian Gulf States. Obes Rev. 2011;12:1-13.

23. Olds TS, Tomkinson GR, Ferrar KE, Maher CA. Trends in the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in Australia between 1985 and 2008. Int J Obes (Lond). 2010;34:57-66.

24. World Health Organization. Population-based prevention strategies for childhood obesity: report of a WHO forum and technical meeting, Geneva, 15–17 December 2009. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2010.

25. de Onis M, Onyango AW, Borghi E, Siyam A, Nishida C, Siekmann J. Development of a WHO growth reference for school-aged children and adolescents. Bull World Health Organ. 2007;85:660-7.

26. World Health Organization. World Health Organization Child Growth Standards. 2006. Accessed March 5, 2012.

27. Kuczmarski R, Ogden CL, Grummer-Strawn LM, et al. CDC Growth Charts: United States. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2000.

28. Grummer-Strawn LM, Reinold C, Krebs NF. Use of World Health Organization and CDC growth charts for children aged 0-59 months in the United States. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2010;59:1-15.

29. Cole TJ, Bellizzi MC, Flegal KM, Dietz WH. Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey. BMJ. 2000;320:1240-3.

30. Monasta L, Lobstein T, Cole TJ, Vignerová J, Cattaneo A. Defining overweight and obesity in pre-school children: IOTF reference or WHO standard? Obes Rev. 2011;12:295-300.

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Obesity Causes | Obesity Prevention Source

Obesity Prevention Source

Many factors influence body weight-genes, though the effect is small, and heredity is not destiny; prenatal and early life influences; poor diets; too much television watching; too little physical activity and sleep; and our food and physical activity environment.

What Tips the Scales Toward Excess Weight?

The causes of obesity are as varied as the people it affects.

At its most basic, of course, obesity results when someone regularly takes in more calories than needed. The body stores these excess calories as body fat, and over time the extra pounds add up. Eat fewer calories than the body burns, weight goes down. This equation can be deceptively simple, though, because it doesn’t account for the multitude of factors that affect what we eat, how much we exercise, and how our bodies process all this energy. A complex web surrounds a basic problem.

What are some of the factors that increase the risk of obesity?

Genes Are Not Destiny

Heredity plays a role in obesity but generally to a much lesser degree than many people might believe. Rather than being obesity’s sole cause, genes seem to increase the risk of weight gain and interact with other risk factors in the environment, such as unhealthy diets and inactive lifestyles. And healthy lifestyles can counteract these genetic effects.

Prenatal and Postnatal Influences

Early life is important, too. Pregnant mothers who smoke or who are overweight may have children who are more likely to grow up to be obese adults. Excessive weight gain during infancy also raises the risk of adult obesity, while being breastfed may lower the risk.

Unhealthy Diets

What’s become the typical Western diet-frequent, large meals high in refined grains, red meat, unhealthy fats, and sugary drinks-plays one of the largest roles in obesity. Foods that are lacking in the Western diet-whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts-seem to help with weight control, and also help prevent chronic disease.

Too Much Television, Too Little Activity, and Too Little Sleep

Television watching is a strong obesity risk factor, in part because exposure to food and beverage advertising can influence what people eat. Physical activity can protect against weight gain, but globally, people just aren’t doing enough of it. Lack of sleep-another hallmark of the Western lifestyle-is also emerging as a risk factor for obesity.

Toxic Environment-Food and Physical Activity

As key as individual choices are when it comes to health, no one person behaves in a vacuum. The physical and social environment in which people live plays a huge role in the food and activity choices they make. And, unfortunately, in the U.S. and increasingly around the globe, this environment has become toxic to healthy living: The incessant and unavoidable marketing of unhealthy foods and sugary drinks. The lack of safe areas for exercising. The junk food sold at school, at work, and at the corner store. Add it up, and it’s tough for individuals to make the healthy choices that are so important to a good quality of life and a healthy weight.

Obesity and its causes have, in many ways, become woven into the fabric of our society. To successfully disentangle them will take a multifaceted approach that not only gives individuals the skills to make healthier choices but also sets in place policy and infrastructure that support those choices.

Read more: Obesity prevention

Prevention of obesity – Gryazinskaya CRH

Obesity is a disease that can be cured simply by adjusting the lifestyle. All you need is your desire and many of the problems that excess weight entails will bypass you.

Preventive measures.

Nutrition: The basis of the diet for obesity is a “healthy” diet, its principle is the dosed intake of a variety of foods. There are general recommendations for a diet for obesity:
Eat plenty of fiber-rich foods every day. These are fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals. All these products are low-calorie, rich in vitamins and minerals.
Sweets, muffins, fried foods, canned food, store-bought juices, lemonades, fast food – it is better to exclude from the menu.
Dishes of fast carbohydrates and proteins, it is better to combine with slow carbohydrates. For example, meat food with side dishes of vegetables and cereals.
Fast carbohydrate dishes are best taken at the beginning of the day (in the morning), when the metabolism is more intense.
Eliminate animal fats. Replace them with healthy vegetable oils (olive, sesame).
Be careful with spicy, spicy and sour foods – do not abuse them, because they tend to stimulate the appetite.
Do not forget that food should be varied. Then it will satisfy the body’s need for vitamins and trace elements.
Limit alcohol, as alcoholic drinks will add extra calories, no nutrients, and whet your appetite.
Drink plenty of water to quench your thirst. Pure water contains 0 calories, and if you drink a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal, then the feeling of satiety will come earlier. The last meal should be 2.5-3 hours before bedtime.

Physical activity: It is possible to increase the consumption of kilocalories entering the body only through physical activity. An untrained person should not immediately start intensive training. For the prevention of obesity, cyclic types of physical education are best suited: skiing, swimming, running. The easiest is to walk at a brisk pace for 40 minutes 3-4 times a week or take at least 10,000 steps a day every day. A prerequisite is control over your condition.

Psychological problems: Not all causes of obesity are due to human physiology. His psyche plays an important role in the appearance of excess weight. Sleep disturbance, negative emotions, frequent stress can increase appetite and encourage increased food intake, which in turn leads to weight gain. Having solved at least partially the problem associated with the psychological aspect of obesity, it is possible to prevent weight gain.

Remember: By losing weight, you reduce the risk of a large number of diseases such as diabetes, atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension, stroke, myocardial infarction and improve your quality of life!

Endocrinologist State Healthcare Institution “Gryazinskaya Central District Hospital” Ya. I. Bogomolova

Prevention of overweight and obesity

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Prevention Reminders

Prevention of overweight and obesity

Obesity is an excessive deposition of fat in the body, which poses a health risk. in Russia – from 40 to 60%. Patients with obesity are 4 times more likely to see a doctor about a health problem.

There has been an increase in the number of overweight adolescents, caused by the consumption of high-calorie foods and lack of physical activity.

Body mass index (BMI) is used to estimate body weight:

The result is estimated as follows: 085

15 or less Severe malnutrition 15 – 17 Moderate malnutrition 17 – 19 Mild malnutrition 19 – 25

9009 6 Norm-Standard 25 – 30 Overweight 30 – 35 First degree obesity 35 – 40 Second degree obesity 40 or more Obesity third degree (morbid)

Another test is your waist. The larger the waist, the higher the risk to the health of the heart and blood vessels. Waist circumference should be for women – no more than 80-88 cm, for men – no more than 94-102 cm. Anything more is a cause for alarm.

Types of obesity

Abdominal (adipose tissue is deposited in the abdomen and upper body). With this type, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, heart attacks and strokes often develop.

Femoral-gluteal (adipose tissue is deposited in the buttocks and thighs). It is accompanied by the development of diseases of the spine, joints and veins of the lower extremities.

Mixed or intermediate type of obesity with an even distribution of fat throughout the body.

Causes of obesity

Hereditary factors in obesity are not fatal. Of great importance in the emergence of obesity are external factors.

Junk food:

• bad eating habits with excessive consumption of fatty foods and simple carbohydrates (meal for the company), irregular meals (in the evening), large portions, frequent snacks, watching TV during meals, “jamming” stress;
• endocrine disorders.