Health Consequences Of Childhood Obesity

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools

One study of children with asthma, found that obese children used more medicine, wheezed more, and made more visits to emergency rooms than their non-obese peers.

Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common among children and teens who are overweight. While diabetes and glucose intolerance, considered pre-diabetes, are common results of adult obesity, only in recent years has type 2 diabetes become a problem among children and teens. Diabetes in chilren and teens can lead to complications such as cardiovascular disease and kidney failure.

Overweight children and teens have been found to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol, high blood pressure and abnormal glucose tolerance. In one study, almost 60% of overweight children ages 5 to 17 had at least one risk factor and 25% had two or more risk factors.

Studies suggest that obstructive sleep apnea occurs in about 17% of obese children and adolescents (>150% of ideal body weight). Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder that causes brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. If untreated, it can lead to decreased school performance, bedwetting, behavior problems, and heart and lung disease. Loud snoring, mouth breathing, daytime sleepiness and hyperactive behavior are all indicators of possible obstructive sleep apnea.

Obesity has been associated with low self esteem in some adolescents. A longitudinal study found that obese Hispanic and white females showed significant decreases in self esteem by ages 13 and 14 compared with non-obese Hispanic and white females. Obese African-American young women did not show a similar decline.

Obese children with decreased levels of self-esteem were more likely to report feelings of loneliness, sadness, and nervousness, and were more likely to smoke and consume alcohol. Overweight teens are more likely to be socially isolated than normal-weight teens. Adolescent boys and girls who are teased about their weight have more emotional health problems.

Overweight children and adolescents tend to become overweight adults. One in five children who are overweight at age 4 will be overweight as adults. Between 40% and 80% of teens who are overweight, will be overweight adults. Adult obesity is a risk factor for major health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, gallbladder disease, cancer (endometrial, colon, kidney, gallbladder, and postmenopausal breast cancer), and osteoarthritis.

Reprinted with permission from the website of the The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools