Childhood Obesity

Obesity in Children

Childhood obesity has rapidly become a global epidemic. An estimated 42 million children less than 5 years of age are now considered obese. The epidemic is no longer secluded to the western developed world where fast-food is plentiful and supermarkets line their shelves with sugar- and fat-laden processed foods. In fact, according to the Johns Hopkins Global Obesity Prevention Center, 5 out of 6 obese children are from developing countries

Today, more people die from obesity-related diseases than from malnutrition. What's more, malnutrition and obesity are not mutually exclusive. Not only is obesity often accompanied by a lack of nutrients in the developed world, where diets are low in nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, and high in nutrient-poor processed food; in developing countries, many children suffer from insufficient pre-natal and infant nutrition, and then as they age, they face a diet of high-calorie, nutrient-poor foods. And of course food is not the only culprit contributing to obesity. Increasingly sedentary lifestyles further compound the problem.

Today, diseases that were rarely, if ever seen in young children just two decades ago have become commonplace. Many children now have risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Children are developing Type 2 diabetes, bone and joint problems caused by excessive weight, sleep apnea that reduces oxygen flow to the brain, fatty liver disease, and acid reflux. Obesity also takes a psychological toll on children resulting in low self-esteem and poor performance in school. But tackling the problem isn't as simple as telling children to eat right and get more exercise. In fact, simply addressing one aspect of the problem may exacerbate the situation. For example, efforts to increase exercise often lead to simultaneous increases in consumption of high-calorie foods. There are many societal and cultural influences at play that contribute to the global childhood obesity epidemic A systems science approach must be used to tackle the complexity of this issue. But what is a systems science approach? A systems science approach views the issue from a holistic perspective. It requires an interdisciplinary task force to address all the facets underlying the obesity epidemic.

A systems science approach will address the policies, economics, environmental influences, cultural influences, underlying behaviors, and physiology that contribute to obesity. It will integrate this information using big data analyses and high-tech simulations to predict outcomes of possible interventions. A systems science approach will track the dynamics of obesity data over space and time. Using this type of holistic approach will help to formulate a unified strategy for combating the global epidemic of childhood obesity.

Thanks for reading soon we will post article on causes of obesity and how to tackle obesity, till then take care. Good bye.