Tackling obesity in youth isn’t child’s play

A bite of reality

From the 1960s to 1980, overweight kids accounted for one out of 15 children between 6 and 11 years old and one in 20 teenagers. In 2002, the rate of being overweight in 6- to 19-year-olds had jumped to 16 percent. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that one of every five youngsters in the United States today is overweight. So yes, childhood obesity is on the rise, and the increase is the same despite a child’s race or national origin.

Children whose body mass index (BMI) is between the 85th and 94th percentiles for their age and gender are at risk for obesity and those at or above the 95th percentile are considered overweight. A person who’s very muscular may have a high BMI, but not be obese because muscle weighs more than fat. If a child’s BMI is high, he needs a professional evaluation to determine whether he’s obese.

Many reasons for the trend

Childhood obesity rarely can be blamed on genetics. Some children with extra weight are not really “overweight,” but may have a more muscular body type. There’s always that one child who really does have “big bones” – who’s large but clearly not fat. Being overweight from excess fat puts a child at risk for adult diseases. Childhood obesity is having too much body fat and is associated with more immediate diseases, such as diabetes.

Obese children are likely to sit a lot, watch television for three or more hours a day, play video games rather than go outside and play physically active games, and eat food that’s high in calories and low in food value. In short, they’re just like obese adults – they take in more calories than they burn.

Increased risk

Obese children are at risk for serious health issues. They are much more likely to develop diseases that used to be seen only in adults, like type 2 diabetes, elevated cholesterol, and high blood pressure. They’re more prone to bone and joint troubles. They’re more likely to have sleep apnea, which prevents a good night’s rest and sometimes leads to learning and memory problems.

Because “fat kids” are often the target of teasing and bullying, obese children run a high risk of depression and, like other depressed people, they may dive deep into the “comfort food.” Overweight children may be drawn to fad diets, extremely restrictive eating habits, and ultimately, conditions like anorexia and bulimia.

What’s a parent to do?

First, if you think your child is overweight, schedule a doctor’s appointment. Get a professional evaluation and make sure there’s cause for concern.

Then make changes one step at a time. Sudden, drastic changes usually don’t work.

The same tactics that help an overweight child lose fat will also help other children maintain a healthy weight. For this reason – and so the overweight child doesn’t feel isolated – get the whole family involved. Some possibilities are:

• No books or TV during meals
  
  
• Portion control
  
  
• Healthy snacks
  
  
• Turn off the video games and go ride a bike
  
  
• Set an example by participating in activities with your children.

The bottom line

Childhood obesity is an increasing problem in the United States. With small, yet consistent, steps and concentrated effort, the battle can be won.

For more information

• For more information to help you manage your weight check out the tips, tools, and trackers in the Weight Management Center on MyHumana. Just log in to MyHumana – there’s a log-in box at the top of this page – select “Condition Centers” from the “Health & Wellness” menu, and choose “Weight Management” from the drop-down box.
  
  
• Childhood obesity
  
  
• American Academy of Pediatrics Obesity Website