INTRODUCTION:

Childhood obesity is a worldwide severe medical concern, mainly affecting children and adolescents. It is a condition in which a child’s health is critically impacted by excess body fat or weight. It is considered one of the most critical public health concerns of the 21st century. A child is considered “obese” when the body weight is not optimum for height and age.

Childhood obesity has become a global epidemic, raising serious concerns among parents, educators, and healthcare professionals. In a few earlier decades, the prevalence of overweight and obese children has been surging at an alarming rate, with debates on its causes and potential long-term implications. As the world grapples with this pressing issue, it is crucial to take a more profound into the factors contributing to childhood obesity, its influence on children’s physical and mental health, and the possible interventions that can be implemented to overcome this growing problem. In this article, we will inspect the multifaceted nature of childhood obesity, shedding light on the causes, symptoms, and risk factors and the urgent need for a collective effort to protect the health and well-being of our youngest generation.

Childhood obesity is luckily treatable through dietary and lifestyle modifications. These changes are to be implemented because when a child becomes overweight, they will undergo obese adulthood and be more likely to develop important obesity-related physical and mental health issues.

HOW CHILDHOOD OBESITY DEFINED???

Childhood obesity is solely determined by comparing body mass index (BMI) concerning age and height. BMI is a relation of weight and height calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of height in meters. The normal range for BMI in children varies with age and sex. While a BMI above the 85th percentile is overweight, a BMI greater than or equal to the 95th percentile is defined as obesity by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A combination of factors act in synchronization that leads to childhood obesity. Factors include:

The increase in the use of technology.

There is an increase in snacks and portion sizes of meals.

The decrease in children’s physical activity.

A study found that kids who use electronic devices three or more hours a day had a 17- 44% increased risk of being overweight or a 10- 61% increased risk of being obese.

CAUSES:

ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES:

Adverse childhood experiences are always the consequence of various mental issues in adults and children. It is assumed that negative childhood experiences are associated with childhood obesity. Girls are more prone to the effects of adverse childhood experiences as compared to boys. Particular sexual abuse appears to have a considerable impact on other adverse experiences.

PARENTAL STRESSES:

Various parental stresses may impact the child’s behaviour and weight. There was a positive correlation between parents’ general anxiety and parenting stress with child obesity among families with younger children. Parents and children’s sex, race, socioeconomic status, and family structure appeared to play a role in the relationship between parents’ stress and child obesity.

GENETICS:

Childhood obesity is frequently the result of the interaction of numerous genetic and environmental variables. When enough calories are supplied, polymorphisms in several genes that regulate appetite and metabolism predispose people to obesity. By affecting exercise level, food choices, body shape, and metabolism, over 200 genes influence weight.

Many rare genetic diseases can make children obese by altering how fat is stored in the body or by generating persistent hunger that leads to binge eating. These consist of:

Prader–Willi syndrome
Bardet–Biedl syndrome
MOMO syndrome
Leptin receptor mutations
Congenital leptin deficiency
Melanocortin receptor mutations.

FAMILY ETIQUETTES:

In recent centuries, family etiquette toward children has significantly changed in various aspects, directly affecting the younger generation’s health.

Children become more obese as they grow up due to the lack of mothers breastfeeding and more reliance on formula milk.
Reduction in outside playing activities and more engagement towards technology keep children inside.
Easy access to calorie-packed food like soda, candy, and junk food is a cherry on top.
Minimizing physical activities like walking and biking increases the likelihood of obesity.

PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIANTS:

The risk of childhood obesity is increased by stress, anxiety, and sadness. Some kids, like adults, have learned to overeat to calm themselves or distract themselves from unpleasant emotions, including loneliness, anxiety, tension, and boredom.

SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS:

Various studies showed that children living in low-financial societies are more prone to childhood obesity, as multiple factors contribute to this. Poor access to supermarkets with fresh fruit and vegetables; instead, they can buy only fast food, packaged food, and highly processed prepared foods. Financial hardship can also impact food purchasing, as fast food and high-calorie food are often cheaper than healthier, fresher food.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS:

Not all children with extra pounds are said to be obese; various children have larger body shapes than others. BMI (Body Mass Index) is the primary parameter that accurately describes your child’s body fat level.

In contrast to disproportionate body weight, various other signs and symptoms of childhood obesity include:

Fatigue,
Shortness of breathing,
Sleep apnea and snoring,
Excessive sweating,
Arthralgia (joint pain),
Skin rashes and irritation,
Dislocated hips,
Stretch marks on hips and abdomen area (usually, these occur in non-obese children, too),
Accumulation of fat tissues in breast area,
Gastroesophageal reflux (also called acid reflux),
Early puberty in girls,
Delayed puberty in boys.

RISK FACTORS:

Risk factors usually combine to increase the incidence of obesity in your child.

Nutritional plan:

Consuming a high-calorie diet such as junk food, processed and baked items, vending machine snacks, desserts, and soda drinks daily increases the chances of getting your child obese. Sugary drinks are also a culprit in getting obese.

Insufficient workout:

Spending too much time on sedentary activities like TV, mobiles, and PlayStations limits children’s outdoor activities, which are essential for calorie combustion, and this is the primary cause of childhood obesity as children are more likely to spend stationary life. There need to be more proper workouts in their lives.

Family tree:

Children who belong to families who have a history of obesity or have obese parents are more likely to become obese. This is due to the availability of high-calorie food and discouraged physical activity.

Psychological factors:

Personal, parental, or family stress is crucial for childhood obesity. Any psychological disturbance will result in eating irregularity in children, the same as in adults.

Medical treatments:

Certain medications are responsible for accelerating obesity in children, including prednisone, lithium, amitriptyline, paroxetine (Paxil), gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant), and propranolol (Inderal, Hemangeol). Include prednisone, lithium, amitriptyline, paroxetine (Paxil), gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise, Horizant), and propranolol (Inderal, Hemangeol).

EFFECT ON HEALTH/ COMPLICATIONS:

Psychological effects:

Childhood obesity is always associated with emotional or psychological disturbances. The obese child loses his self-esteem and is always persecuted or teased by others.

Physiological effects:

Childhood obesity, if left untreated, will cause life-threatening complications, including:

diabetes,
high blood pressure,
heart disease,
sleep problems,
cancer,
liver disease
early puberty or menarche,
eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia,
skin infections,
Asthma and other respiratory problems.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

PREVENTIVE MANAGEMENT:

MATERNAL BMI:

Maternal body mass index (BMI) significantly indicates childhood obesity. Mothers who have pre-gestation obesity increase their chances of having an obese child. Maternal BMI should be strictly monitored.

LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION:

CHILD GETS ADEQUATE EXERCISE:

Physical activities are not only responsible for calorie breakdown. Instead, they will strengthen bones and muscles along with improving digestion and quality sleep. Hence, the experts recommend getting the children 150 to 300 minutes per week of moderately intense physical activity. There are various options in this aspect, like running in the park, racing with friends, martial arts, rope jumping activities, hiking over mountains, etc.

HEALTHY FOOD:

A balanced diet is always recommended to keep your child away from obesity and its consequences. A diet with an appropriate quantity of fruits, vegetables, grains, lean proteins, and seafood is beneficial. Avoid processed or convenient food like cookies, crackers, and fast food, as they are high in calories.

AVOID SWEET BEVERAGES:

Soda beverages and fruit juices are rich in calories and low in nutrition. It also causes a feeling of a full stomach. Always try to avoid these; instead, use plenty of water along with the dilute fruit juice extract at home.

LIMIT DINEOUT:

Avoid dining out as these meals are rich in sodium and fat, responsible for obesity and other cardiovascular disorders. Enjoy family mealtime at home to stay healthy.

TRY TO MAINTAIN QUALITY GOOD SLEEP:

Lack of quality sleep can cause obesity by increasing ghrelin levels, the hormone responsible for appetite. Too little sleep can also give your child the energy required during the day and encourage cravings for sweet foods for instant energy demand. Serve meal 2 hours before sleep, limit screen time, along with a dim light bedroom and consistent bedtime routine.

MEDICATION:

Although there is no medication approved for childhood obesity, nowadays, drugs that are authorized for treating childhood obesity include orlistat (Xenical), liraglutide (Saxenda), liraglutide (Wegovy), and phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia).

SURGERY:

If obesity is not treated through conventional methods and medications, then bariatric surgery is recommended by experts. These procedures are done for severe obesity. Categories included in bariatric surgery are gastric bypass, gastric banding, and gastric sleeve (sleeve gastrectomy), depending on the patient’s situation.

CONCLUSION:

Childhood obesity is a multifactorial condition—an extensive list of internal and external factors influencing it. Lifestyle modification and proper counseling of the child will help regain his self-esteem and physical portfolio.

To sum it up, childhood obesity is a big problem that needs our attention. It’s not just about being overweight – it can affect how kids feel and lead to serious health issues later on. We need to work together to fix things. That means helping kids eat better, move more, and make sure they have access to good food. Parents, schools, doctors, and leaders all need to join forces to create a healthy environment for kids. If we focus on making good choices and encouraging active lifestyles, we can turn things around and give our kids a better, healthier future.

”Childhood Obesity” The Alarming Rise of and How We Can Tackle It Together!” A lamp on the facts