Overweight and obesity are defined as an excessive accumulation of fat that can be detrimental to health. Its fundamental cause is due to an energy imbalance between calories ingested and calories consumed.
In today’s society, dietary changes have led to an increase in the intake of high-calorie foods: rich in fats, salt and sugars, but at the same time deficient in vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients. More and more packaged and processed foods are consumed, causing some children to lose interest in natural foods. In addition, sometimes children overeat and do not stop eating until they feel completely full, eating more than they really need for their daily activity. Social life also means that we often eat away from home, consuming more food and more calories than necessary.
On the other hand, there is a decline in physical activity as a result of the increasingly sedentary nature of today’s lifestyle and the incorporation of screen-based activities that take up more and more hours in our daily lives. Children spend many hours sitting in class and at home, participate little in daily household chores (cleaning, shopping, meal preparation…), and spend hours in front of a screen (tablet, phone, computer or television).
The prevalence of overweight in Catalonia has risen from 27.8% to 38.9%, and obesity from 11.9% to 15.6% in the last 10 years. Excess weight in the Spanish child population affects 45.2% of children aged between 6 and 9 years, as reflected in the ALADINO study, published in July 2011.
Short- and long-term consequences of childhood obesity
Unfortunately, obesity increases the risk of suffering from diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, depression and some types of cancer. These and other complications lead to increased mortality, as well as a poorer quality of life. Worldwide, obesity is the second leading cause of premature and avoidable mortality, after tobacco.
Childhood obesity is associated with a higher probability of obesity in adulthood. According to several studies, 77% of obese children will remain obese as adults. In addition to the long-term consequences, childhood obesity has an immediate health impact; thus, children with obesity often already have complications such as high blood pressure, increased cholesterol and other disorders associated with cardiovascular disease. They also have a greater predisposition to suffer from diseases such as asthma, greater risk of fractures and more psychological affectations, such as low self-esteem, which produce social isolation and states of anxiety and depression.
Avoid the problem in time with healthy habits
Fortunately, excess weight can be largely prevented by introducing appropriate lifestyle changes, encouraging outdoor exercise patterns and balanced meals in line with family cultural traditions and the time of year for the consumption of seasonal foods. Intervention programs should aim to promote healthy habits through nutritional education and physical exercise.
Since the pediatrician has a good knowledge of families and their environment, his or her office is the ideal place for prevention, detection and treatment of the overweight child.