Childhood Obesity: Everyone is Talking About it

 Childhood Obesity: Everyone is Talking About it

The rate of obese children and adolescents has nearly tripled in the last three decades. This is obviously an issue America has been presented with, but WHY is this an issue? Let's explore that more in depth by taking a few minuets to discuss the potential risk factors obese children and adolescents may face in their early life as well as their adult life. 


By: Jordan Pape

As a child, I was very fit and played almost every sport you can think of. I was always doing something after school and staying active. However, as I grew into my adolescent years, I cut it down to only playing one sport, and the stress that comes with the teenage years got to me. I started gaining weight and soon after I wasn't the ripped 10 year old I used to be. No really, you could see my muscles from a distance. I struggled with my weight through my teen years, until I received some not so great news from my doctor after a physical. What I didn't know then that I know now is that obesity can have a great impact on your health. Obese children and adolescents more often struggle with anxiety and depression, are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, NAFLD (non-alcholic fatty liver disease), cardiovascular complications, metabolic syndrome, and so much more. This is the WHY, this is why obesity in children and adolescents is a problem. 

First, let's discuss why we see such a jump in obesity rates starting around the year 2000. What changed at this time? Well, in the late 90's online video games were introduced, and in 2001 the first gaming console was released. This caused a spike in the number of kids staying indoors and staring at  TV or computer screen. We also see in the early 2000's, the consumption of sugary drinks doubled from 4% to 9%. Before this time, sodas were most commonly found in 12oz cans, but soon 20oz bottles became the norm. So, what do you do when your parents are out of the house and you're bored? You binge on video games, sodas, and snacks.

Risk of Diabeties 

When I went for a routine physical at the age of 16, I had a BMI of 33.4. This is considered obese. Well, so what? I weighed more than I should, but I felt fine. At that physical I learned that I was a pre-diabetic, meaning my body was not properly using insulin and my blood sugar was high. Without intervention, and a serious lifestyle change, I was at a great risk for developing type II diabetes. Statics show that around 20% of adolescents and teens in the US are pre-diabetics. 

Let's go back to the WHY again. Why is diabetes bad? Diabetes leads to an increase of sugar circulating through your blood stream. This can lead to a multitude of complications, such as digestive problems, vision loss, circulatory problems, NAFLD, nerve damage, skin conditions such as ulcers, and a multitude of other complications. Once you've been diagnosed with type II diabetes, it's hard to reverse. Serious lifestyle changes can 'reverse' the condition, but it will never be completely gone. 

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A recent study aiming to reduce the risk factors among obese adolescents found that of their participation group (obese adolescents aged 11-17), almost every single one showed a resistance to insulin. Well, what does this mean? Insulin resistance shows how effectively your body is using the insulin its producing. A normal IR is less than 1, and significant insulin resistance is above 2.9. Significant insulin resistance directly correlates to the chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Of the adolescents in this study, the average insulin resistance was around 4.57!

Risk of Cardiovascular Complications

Of all the complications that stem from obesity, in my opinion this one is the scariest.
The term cardiovascular relates to the heart and the blood vessels. We all know that the heart pumps our blood, and the blood travels in the blood vessels, but many people don't know the multitude of diseases that can relate to the cardiovascular system.

The diseases that we are going to talk about are very rare in children, and usually present in the mid-adult years. However, habits from childhood often follow into adulthood. This being said, it's important to look at the long-term effects of a life time of obesity. 

Many of the foods people associate with obesity are also foods that can be associated with cardiovascular diseases. These may be things such as fried foods, chips, cookies, and sugary drinks. I'm sure you can think of some others. All of these foods contribute to your health. Food such as fried foods, or foods high in fat, contribute to your LDL-C, or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. High amounts of LDL-C in the blood can lead to plaque building up in the blood vessels. If this happens, it can make it harder for your heart to pump blood.

Cardiovascular diseases aren't solely reliant on diet, though. Even an obese individual who eats relatively healthy food is still at risk. Obesity can  lead to hypertension, or high blood pressure. This is because the excess weight puts strain on the heart and blood vessels, causing it to pump harder to achieve the same outcome. Hypertension also has complications related to it, such has heart attacks, stroke, heart failure, and many more. 

Risk of Anxiety and Depression

The cause of anxiety and depression can come from a multitude of things, such as family history, trauma, gender, poor nutrition, stress, abuse, and many others. A risk factors often not talked about is obesity. 

For me, it was family history, obesity, and stress. As a teenager, you have the pressures of life weighing you down. Keeping your grades good enough to get into college, managing your time so you don't feel like you're studying 24/7, having a part time job, trying to fit in with those around you. You add obesity to that, and a damaged self- perception, complications can arise. 

A recent study found 5% of adolescents report experiencing anxiety or depression, while 9% of obese adolescents report experiencing anxiety or depression. You may be thinking, "you just listed all these other reasons someone might have anxiety or depression, so does obesity really play that big of a role?". Well, the answer is yes, yes it does. This study realized that there is a correlation between anxiety/ depression and obesity, but they wanted to find out what the direct correlation between them was. Disregarding all the other risk factors of anxiety and depression, obese adolescents had a 43% higher chance of developing anxiety or depression compared to adolescents with a normal BMI. This study created a direct link between BMI and anxiety/depression. 

What can you do?

As a parent, it's important to guide your child or teen through their early lives. Like I said, habits from childhood often follow into adulthood as well. After my physical, I realized I needed to change my habits. I started on a 9 month journey of eating better and being more physically active and saw huge improvements in my physical and mental health.  

In the study discussed in 'diabetes type II', their main goal was to decrease the risk factors for obese adolescents by using exercise. In this study, they found that high intensity exercise, 3 days a week, was the most beneficial. After completion of this exercise program, the participants showed improved results in the following categories: Blood pressure, liver fat, insulin resistance, LDL-C, HDL-C, body mass, body weight, muscle mass, heart rate, glucose, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness. 

So, what can you do? Here are some examples of high intensity exercise as stated by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP also recommends bone and muscle strengthening activities along with high intensity exercise.




Click here for a video of fun exercises to do with kids (3-8 years old)


The second component in living a healthy lifestyle is to eat nutrient dense foods. This means eating fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and healthy fats. Eating healthy is one of the largest factors in combating and preventing obesity. Here are the recommendations per the American Heart Association.

Here are some of my favorite healthy snacks that are quick and easy!

Apples and peanut butter 

Celery and peanutbutter

Celery and hummus

Carrots and hummus

Grapes and cheese

Popcorn

Cherries

Yogurt and fruit parfait


Being obese as a child or teen can be difficult, I know from experience. However, being informed about how tough it can be on your or your child's body can be a real eye opener. I hope this information will prompt you to have the tough conversations about living a healthy lifestyle. 


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About the Author

Hi! I'm Jordan Pape and I'm a student at Georgia Gwinnett College, studying Exercise science. I enjoy cooking for my family and friends, going to the lake on the weekends, and snuggling with my pups! Right now, I'm a Patient Care Technician on a surgical floor, but one day hope to become a Physician Assistant. I have a lot of passion for health and studying our bodies, and I love sharing all the cool things I learn with my family (even when they have no clue what I'm talking about).






References:

González-Ruíz, K., et.al. "Exercise dose on hepatic fat and cardiovascular health in adolescents with excess of adiposity". Pediatric Obesity, 2020 17(4), e12869. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.12869     

Gidding, Samuel S., et al. “Dietary Recommendations for Children and Adolescents.” Circulation, 27 Sept. 2005, https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.105.169251. 

Lindberg, Louise, et al. “Anxiety and Depression in Children and Adolescents with Obesity: A Nationwide Study in Sweden - BMC Medicine.” BioMed Central, BioMed Central, 3 Mar. 2020, https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-020-1498-z. 

Lobelo, Felipe, et al. “Physical Activity Assessment and Counseling in Pediatric Clinical Settings.” American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 Mar. 2020, https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/145/3/e20193992/36817/Physical-Activity-Assessment-and-Counseling-in?autologincheck=redirected%3FnfToken. 



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