Obesity in Youth

Posted: June 1, 2004

Diabetes, hypertension and other obesity-related chronic diseases that are prevalent among adults have now become more common in youngsters. The percentage of children and adolescents who are overweight and obese is now higher than ever before. Poor dietary habits and inactivity are reported to contribute to the increase of obesity in youth.

Prevalence and trends
Approximately 30.3 percent of children (ages 6 to 11) are overweight and 15.3 percent are obese. For adolescents (ages 12 to 19), 30.4 percent are overweight and 15.5 percent are obese.

Excess weight in childhood and adolescence has been found to predict overweight in adults. Overweight children, aged 10 to 14, with at least one overweight or obese parent were reported to have a 79 percent likelihood of overweight persisting into adulthood.

Gender
Overweight prevalence is higher in boys (32.7 percent) than girls (27.8 percent). In adolescents, overweight prevalence is about the same for females (30.2 percent) and males (30.5 percent).

Health effects
Many adverse health effects associated with overweight are observed in children and adolescents. Overweight during childhood and particularly adolescence is related to increased morbidity and mortality in later life.

Asthma
Prevalence of overweight is reported to be significantly higher in children and adolescents with moderate to severe asthma compared to a peer group.

Diabetes (type 2)
Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents has increased dramatically in a short period. The parallel increase of obesity in children and adolescents is reported to be the most significant factor for the rise in diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is predominant among African American and Hispanic youngsters, with a particularly high rate among those of Mexican descent.

Hypertension
Persistently elevated blood pressure levels have been found to occur about nine times more frequently among obese children and adolescents (ages 5 to 18) than in non-obese.

Orthopaedic complications
Among growing youth, bone and cartilage in the process of development are not strong enough to bear excess weight. As a result, a variety of orthopaedic complications occur in children and adolescents with obesity. In young children, excess weight can lead to bowing and overgrowth of leg bones.

Increased weight on the growth plate of the hip can cause pain and limit range of motion. Between 30 to 50 percent of children with this condition are overweight.

Psychosocial effects and stigma
Caucasian girls, who develop a negative body image, are at a greater risk for the subsequent development of eating disorders.

Adolescent females who are overweight have reported experiences with stigmatization such as teasing, jokes and derogatory name calling, as well as less intentional, potentially hurtful comments by peers, family members, employers and strangers.

Overweight children and adolescents report negative assumptions made about them by others, including being inactive or lazy, being strong and tougher than others, not having feelings, and being unclean.

Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea, the absence of breathing during sleep, occurs in about 7 percent of children with obesity. Deficits in logical thinking are common in children with obesity and sleep apnea.

Source: American Obesity Association

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