Long-term consequences of obesity in children under 15 years old - Research Paper Example

?Long-term consequences of obesity in children under 15 years old Introduction The prevalence of child obesity has become one of the leading public health hazards of the 21st century. It is associated with both immediate and long-term consequences in the physical health of children. Obese children are at increased risk of emotional problems and also prone to having suicidal tendencies (Keeley et al, 158). It is observed that obese children have comparatively lower health-related quality of life than children who have a normal weight. Studies conducted have found that severely obese children aged 5 to 18 described their quality of life similar to that of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy (Debasis, 27). Many researches, studies and programs have been undertaken to create awareness among the public about the consequences, prevention and treatments of childhood obesity. Some of the studies have also proved an association between child obesity and adult morbidity and mortality. There is sufficient research-based evidence that strongly recommends the development of effective preventive measures and treatments for childhood obesity. This paper looks at the history of the issue of childhood obesity, the various programmes that have been employed to meet the challenges of childhood obesity, as well as takes into consideration the opinion of an expert to formulate a set of practical recommendations. Historical Overview of Childhood Obesity There have been various attempts to study and assess the proliferation of childhood obesity. In 1970’s, Philip James and John Waterlow conducted an analysis of obesity-related research for the Department of Health and the UK Medical Research Council with the objective of attracting funds for obesity-related research (Lvovich, 35). Much later, in 2005, International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO) in alliance with four other companies -- WHF, IDF, IPA, and IUNS -- developed a global action program addressing the issues regarding the prevention and consequences of obesity, mainly focusing on childhood obesity (IASO). According to the data collected from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2007-2008, in the US about 17 % of children and adolescents aged 2—19 are obese. In the past 30 years, the obesity prevalence in the US has more than tripled. Results from the survey revealed that the obesity rate among children aged 2-5 has increased from 5.0% to 10.4% from 1976-1980 to 2007-2008. In the case of children aged 6-11, it showed an increase from 6.5% to 19.6%; among adolescents aged 12-19 the obesity rate increased from 5.0% to 18.1% during the same period (Ogden and Carroll, 67). As per Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) statistics, child obesity rates are highest in the United States, compared with other OECD countries. Recent studies revealed that that the rates have become comparatively steady in the last ten years and also that there is a lower probability of an increase in the future. It also suggests there is even a possibility of reduction in the obesity rates among boys in United States. There are significant racial and ethnic disparities in obesity prevalence among U.S. It has been found that in the US there exists the ethnic and cultural influence in childhood obesity rates. Accordingly, it has been found that Hispanic boys and African-American girls have the highest obesity rates. Socio-economical discrepancy is also exposed among obese children in the US. In view of that, obesity rate has been found as 1.6 times higher in lower income group children than that of higher income group (“Obesity and the Economics of Prevention”, 1). In their article regarding childhood obesity, Youfa and Timlobstein (25) illustrated the recent trends in childhood obesity worldwide by gathering information from various authorised sources. The researchers found that obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally and its prevalence has increased in almost all the countries for which they gathered data. However, they found exceptions among school-age children in Russia and to some extent Poland during the 1990s, as well as among infants and pre-school children in some lower-income countries, where childhood obesity rates were low. A drastic increase in obesity rate has been found in economically developed countries among urbanized population. One more research discovered that in some countries, like former East Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Canada, the obesity prevalence has been increasing by more than one percentage point each year (Keeley et al, 158). In China and Brazil, since information on rural and urban populations was available separately, there was a drastic change in the prevalence of overweight in urban children than that in rural children (Youfa and Timlobstein, 18). In 2010 a survey conducted by World Health Organization (W H O) revealed that around 43 million underfives in the world were overweight (Chandler, 117). This number is expected to increase exponentially if the age limit is expanded to include teenagers as well. This indicates a serious global health problem, which requires serious attention and remedy. Once believed to be associated only with developed countries, now childhood obesity volumes and gravity are more apparanent in the developing countries. It comes to about 35 million in developing countries whereas it is only 8 million in developed countries (Marie, 261). Suggestions or Attempted Solutions Offered Obesity may lead to premature death, disability in adulthood and other serious risks in future life (Lukman, Dye and Blundell, 9). Other consequences of obesity are that it may cause breathing difficulties and increase probability of getting bone fractures, hypertension, cardio-vascular diseases and insulin resistance (Babooram, Mullan and Sharpe, 235). In addition to the physiological problems, several psychological and social problems may also result (Young, 52). The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (Davis et al, 141) reveals that in the US there is an increased risk for developing cardiovascular diseases among the ethnic minority children due to their disproportionate levels of obesity. Suggestions derived from this survey dictate that the practitioner treating ethnic minority childhood obesity cases need to be aware of the cultural norms surrounding body size, the effects of marketing of unhealthy foods towards the ethnic minorities and the environmental restrictions to outside physical activities. The strategies developed to prevent and reduce childhood obesity among ethnic minorities include increasing the child's physical activity, reducing television viewing, as well as the adoption and maintenance of healthy lifestyle practices for the entire family (Barlovic, 28; Kafia, 170). The WHO forum and technical meeting in Geneva put forward the population-based prevention strategies for childhood obesity. Widespread, organized approach for promoting physical activities and healthy diet for a healthy life represents the best measures for childhood obesity prevention. However, in order to be successful, such interventions need to occur across the whole population. The WHO meeting points out the need to create awareness about the main population based strategies to prevent childhood obesity and to define roles and responsibilities for various stakeholders. The model identifies the co-ordination between stakeholders and national strategic leadership as the key factor for the success of obesity prevention which has also been proposed by several other researchers (Stearns, Borna and Sundaram, 245). In a population-based approach to childhood obesity prevention policy support, monitoring systems, knowledge translation and a strategy for integrating evidence into the development of multi-level programmes are considered as the key elements for its success (Marie, 201). The Assessing Cost-effectiveness (ACE) in Obesity Project, conducted in Victoria, Australia, found that the prevention of childhood obesity and health benefits are to be achieved by reducing TV advertising of high fat, high sugar foods and drinks to children. In addition, the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and multi-faceted school programmes giving importance to physical activities were also suggested (Marie, 119). The International Obesity Task Force (IOTF), which is a part of the International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO), was established in May 1996 to deal with the emerging global epidemic of obesity. IOTF aims at targeting the obesity problem by creating an environment that encourages and supports the developing of appropriate public health policies and programmes for the management and prevention of obesity (Wahsh, 1). Another research conducted in Singapore, studied the ‘Fit and Trim’ program introduced among primary school, secondary school and junior college students. The ‘Fit and Trim’ program aimed at reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Singapore. In this program, importance was given to healthy eating habits and increased physical activity. The study revealed that school level obesity reduced substantially and the fitness of the students improved at the end of the program (MacDiarmid, 7). UNICEF conducted a National Awareness Campaign on Childhood Obesity in the UAE to create awareness about the growing problem of childhood obesity and to encourage diverse stakeholders’ participation in seeking a solution. The UNICEF campaign aimed to educate the stakeholders about the child hood obesity problems and further to inform them about their expected roles and responsibilities. Another goal of this campaign was to encourage children, parents and community members to adopt a healthy lifestyle in terms of healthy eating and active living. It is also aimed at enlightening policy makers to develop policies in order to improve nutrition and physical activity towards achieving a healthy lifestyle (Anderson and Davies, 303). Interview with Field Expert Dr. X (name not mentioned due to privacy concerns), an expert in childhood lifestyle issues, explained that the sedentary lifestyle of the modern age - which includes fast food habits, over-eating and physical inactivity of the children - are the main causes of obesity. While consuming high-caloric food, the excess calories are stored in the body as fat cells and subsequently lead to obesity in the absence of physical exercise. According to the expert, “ever since 1980s, the use of computers video games have boomed. Couple this with the proliferation of cable television channels which offer unlimited amount of viewing selections to kids. This has created a psychological addiction and lethargic habits which detracts them from useful activities in life”. Dr. X also explained that the negative aspects of modern life of youngsters include spending time at social networking websites or with the cell phones, which leaves them with no time for physical activities like outdoor games. Dr. X stated that the main interest of the adolescents and children now is computers where they spend hours playing video games or surfing internet. The result is the absence of opportunity to dissipate the extra calories accumulated as a result of consuming fast foods, high calorie drinks etc. While talking on the consequences of the undesirable habits of the modern youth, the interviewed asserted that, though the direct result is obesity, it subsequently leads to a variety of diseases and disorders such as asthma, breathing difficulties, cardio-vascular diseases, and liver diseases. Even though visible signs of a diseases may not be apparent in the children, there is an increased chance of the diseases appearing later in adulthood. He asserted that in earlier times, lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes etc. were found in people at a much later life period. But due the obesity in childhood, these lethal diseases are now being found among the young generation in an earlier life period. Dr. X suggested that preventative measures should be taken against occurrence of obesity and the family needs to be actively involved. He said that there is a need to instill good and healthy eating habits and lifestyle as early as possible. As such, he suggests that pregnant women need to be educated against excessive use of computer and TV, sedentary lifestyle and eating unhealthy food. TV and computer usage needs to be restricted for children, and even toddlers need to be kept away from watching too much TV. Children need to be persuaded to engage in outdoor games and sports activities and a desire for deriving happiness from games and sports should be cultivated in the minds of children. In the school curriculum emphasis need to be given to start physical education in the early stage. In addition to this, healthy food habits need to be established in the family so that vegetables, fruits and fiber-rich food items are consumed regularly. According to the interviewed doctor, excessive use of fatty oils, excessive consumption of meat and eggs, artificial sweeteners or salt needs to be avoided. The interview provided hands-on list of solution for dealing with childhood obesity that includes increased physical activity through pleasurable sports, modification in food habits, and reducing TV and Internet time. Conclusions and Recommendations The severity of child obesity has increased to serious proportion and immediate and result oriented programs need to be chalked out and implemented. The programmes need to have a multifaceted approach and deal with both prevention and support activities. a. Creating Awareness As childhood obesity is difficult to treat, it’s worthwhile to invest in prevention program. One way to ensure that prevention of childhood obesity is a success is to create awareness and to disseminate information on the reasons and consequences of childhood obesity. For this, government, non-governmental organizations and schools can come together and develop a knowledge base that can help inform parents and children about the issue: At the governmental level, there is a need to create awareness programmes and campaigns and to reach out to families and schools with recommendations. NGOs (non-Governmental Organizations) engaged in social welfare can also help in creating campaigns, providing information on healthy eating habits and general lifestyle changes to prevent childhood obesity. b. Implementing Preventive Program Targeting the Family In the family the parents need to become the role models. Their food habits, their attitude towards physical exercise, their interest in the well-being of their children are expected to affect their children’s lifestyle and eating habits. A well-designed food menu and proper timetable and schedule needs to be developed based on an understanding of the dietary needs of the family members including children. Targeting Schools In school curriculum, provision needs to be made to teach the importance of physical activities – sports and games. Its importance in creating a healthy life must be highlighted and children need to be encouraged to participate. Also, education should include teaching children the importance of nutritious and low calorie food for building up a healthy body. More importance is to be given to natural food such as fruits vegetables and fish items. c. Implementing Treatment Program There is a need to develop a comprehensive treatment program involving health organizations, practitioners and families. 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