The childhood Obesity Epidemic: A Mini Review

Obesity is a medical condition resulting from the accumulation of excess fat in the human body to the extent that it might have great harm effects on the human health by increasing the diseases lowering the average life expectancy. A person who has a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30 kg/m² is classified as obese; this is how obesity can be defined for adult, which is different than that in children. To account for variability by sex and age, BMI in children must be compared with sexand age-specific reference values (Centers for Disease Control growth chart). The terminology that is used for high BMI-for-age in children in has been based on the recommendation of an expert committee convened by federal agencies. Parents can be a good example for their children by modeling healthful eating behaviors and being physically active. Parents can also be effective advocates by being involved in efforts in their schools, and community to expand the access and availability of opportunities for physical activity and healthful eating. In the case of being an obese child, that means suffering from many health problems and obesity-related diseases such as elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart diseases. Diabetes is considered as one of the obesity-related diseases; type 2 diabetes in children has linked with obesity; when the pancreas starts to produce the insulin hormone, excess body fat will not allow child’s body to use the insulin as it should be which can lead to being a diabetic patient. Schools also play a vital role in teaching the students on how to eat properly and select the best meal with keeping their bodies flexible by doing physical activities. It is important in order to keep children away from being in disasters by having a lot of obesity-related diseases (e.g., heart attacks and diabetes), which can lead to premature death in obese children. Children must be healthy since those children growing up in today’s world are tomorrow’s future!