Obesity, What’s
“Big” Deal? Part IV ---------------------------------------------------------- This article has been provided by Dr. M. Montgomery at www.healthyunderstanding.com Dr. Montgomery is a practicing Chiropractor in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. -------------------------------------------------------------------- In this issue, I am going to focus more on some of consequences of obesity, especially as it relates to children. Although this is focusing on children, think of how it relates to you. Also, if you have kids, what are you teaching your kids about health? This growing problem is getting so prevalent, there are even articles which refer to "obesogenic" environment of schools. What they are saying is that society has come to accept "fatness" in its populace and even in kids. So much so in fact, that they have stopped building gymnasiums in some schools. Add to this horrendous quality of some cafeteria foods and/or vending machines dispensing nothing of quality. There are movements abreast around world that are aiming to rid schools of pestilence of junk food dispensing machines. Hooray for that! I recently read in Ecologist that some people are waging a war against a major soft drink company with their own form of embargo. This company is not only company that should be having an economic war waged against it. In general, we need to move away from highly processed foods and move towards whole food consumption. As has been mentioned in earlier articles, obesity contributes to a variety of conditions such as heart problems, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and more. One of these problems, high blood pressure (HBP), is now becoming a growing problem in children. HBP has also been associated with an increased risk of dementia. Studies have demonstrated that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as well as possibly dairy may be able to help with childhood HBP levels.
Overweight among young people has increased dramatically. Between 1980 and 1994, children and adolescents considered to be overweight increased by 100% in United States. About 15% of 6 - 19 -year-olds are currently overweight and there are even greater rates of overweight among minorities or those who are economically disadvantaged. Overweight youth are more likely to be overweight as adults, and are more likely to have medical risks associated with cardiovascular disease than other children and adolescents.
Consequences of Overweight in Children and Adolescents
Health consequences related to overweight can begin in childhood or adolescence; overweight children and adolescents are at increased risk for various chronic diseases in later life. The psychosocial consequences of overweight are also significant. This problem has been linked to social discrimination, a negative self-image in adolescence that often persists into adulthood, parental neglect, and behavioral and learning problems.
Common Medical Consequences of Overweight
•Hyperlipidemia: A group of disorders characterized by increased bad fats and decreased good fats in blood. •Glucose intolerance: A precursor of diabetes. •Hepatic steatosis: The fatty degeneration of liver. High concentrations of liver enzymes are associated with this and have been found in overweight youths. Weight reduction will help to normalize hepatic enzymes. Hyperinsulinemia also may play a role in hepatic steatosis. •Cholelithiasis: The presence of stones in gallbladder. •Early maturation: Characterized by adolescents with a skeletal age more than 3 months in advance of chronological age, and is associated with increased fatness in adulthood.
Less Common Medical Consequences of Overweight in Children
•Hypertension: Persistently elevated blood pressure occurs with low frequency in children. However, elevated blood pressure occurs approximately 9 times more frequently among children who are overweight compared to other children. Acute Complications of Overweight Acute complications of overweight are those that require immediate medical attention. Patients should be referred to a center that specializes in pediatric overweight where possible. •Sleep apnea is cessation of breathing lasting at least 10 seconds during sleep, characterized by loud snoring and labored breathing. •Pseudotumor cerebri is characterized by increased pressure in skull that causes headaches. It is a rare disorder. •Obesity hypoventilation syndrome, also known as Pickwickian syndrome, may be a cause of sleep apnea, but this relationship remains unclear. Aggressive therapy is warranted for children with obesity hypoventilation syndrome. •A variety of orthopaedic complications affecting feet, legs, and hips can occur.
