August 23, 2005

Chubby Children

          We all love photos of babies with chubby cheeks, toddlers with “baby fat” legs and even elementary age children who are termed “sturdy”.  Unfortunately, those images no longer reflect the typical American child.  Too many young Americans have moved from chubby to obese. 

          The number of overweight children has more than doubled over the past decade.  With over 25% of all children obese, childhood obesity has become the new childhood illness.  And, the more obese a child is and the longer the child remains obese, the more likely the child will become an obese adult.  Adult obesity increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and certain types of cancer.  In fact, many of the health complications that once initially occurred in adulthood – type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol – are beginning to appear in overweight children.

          The cause of childhood obesity is poorly understood.  Genetics, environmental factors such as diet and physical activity and social factors all influence childhood obesity.  An intake of only 50 to 100 excess calories per day can result in a five to ten pound weight gain per year.   And where might those extra calories be coming from?  Nutritional trends on children’s eating habits have shown an increase in the amount of sugars eaten by children.  Children are also not meeting the USDA recommendations for calcium, which may be due to an increase in soft drink consumption, which in turn replace milk.  Another USDA recommendation, children are not meeting is the recommendation for fruit and vegetable intake.  An increasing number of meals eaten away from home, particularly fast foods higher in calories, fat and sodium, is another potential factor.  The portion size of those away from home meals has also increased.

          On the flip side, physical inactivity is a major contributor to obesity in children.  In one study of school-aged children, the amount of time spent watching television and playing video games was closely associated with obesity.  Many children and adolescents spend an average of 22 to 25 hours a week watching television.  One report estimated that obesity in children increased by 2% for each hour of television watched.  For these reasons, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents limit the amount of time children watch television to one to two hours a day.

          Some tips for increasing childhood activity include:

          - Parents can set a good example by pursing physical activities with their children.  It’s never too early or too late to begin participating in physical activity with your children.

          - Physical activity can be fun.  Look for non-competitive activities.  The saying “no pain, no gain’ is even more dangerous for kids than for adults.

          - Show children how to compete against themselves, not others. Emphasize that any improvement is a reward itself.

          - Encourage an interest in aerobic activities, which are likely to become lifelong habits. Swimming, walking and cycling are good aerobic choices for all ages.