On Childhood Obesity Trends

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By http://www.MCOL.com

The Trend is NOT Your Friend

Obesity, according to Wikipedia, is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on health.[1] People are generally considered obese when their body mass index (BMI), a measurement obtained by dividing a person’s weight by the square of the person’s height, is over 30 kg/m2, with the range 25–30 kg/m2 defined as overweight.[1] Some East Asian countries use lower values.[2] Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.[3]

Obesity is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive food intake, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility.[1][4] A few cases are caused primarily by genes, endocrine disorders, medications, or mental illness.[5] Evidence to support the view that obese people eat little yet gain weight due to a slow metabolism is not generally supported.[6] On average, obese people have a greater energy expenditure than their thin counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an increased body mass.[6][7]

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Obesity is mostly preventable through a combination of social changes and personal choices.[1] Changes to diet and exercising are the main treatments.[3] Diet quality can be improved by reducing the consumption of energy-dense foods, such as those high in fat and sugars, and by increasing the intake of dietary fiber.[1] Medications may be taken, along with a suitable diet, to reduce appetite or decrease fat absorption.[8] If diet, exercise, and medication are not effective, a gastric balloon or surgery may be performed to reduce stomach volume or bowel length, leading to feeling full earlier or a reduced ability to absorb nutrients from food.[9][10]

Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing rates in adults and children.[1][11] In 2014, 600 million adults (13%) and 42 million children under the age of five were obese.[1] Obesity is more common in women than men.[1] Authorities view it as one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century.[12] Obesity is stigmatized in much of the modern world (particularly in the Western world), though it was seen as a symbol of wealth and fertility at other times in history and still is in some parts of the world.[3][13]

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Assessment

In 2013, the American Medical Association classified obesity as a disease.[14][15]

Conclusion

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