| Obesity or over nutrition is a generalized and | | | | and psychological stresses and difficulties. |
| excessive accumulation of fat in subcutaneous | | | | - School children are frequently harassed, |
| and other tissues. | | | | intimidated, and excluded from other activities; |
| Obesity in childhood is not a disease but rather a | | | | teachers may treat obese children differently. |
| symptom complex having a weak association with | | | | - Sleep apnea is increasingly identified in obese |
| adult obesity with its correlates of increased | | | | children, it is estimated that sleep apnea occurs in |
| mortality, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, | | | | 7% of obese children, and it directly diminishes |
| hyperlipidemias, liver diseases, cholelithiasis, and | | | | participation and academic performance. |
| adult-onset diabetes. | | | | - Glucose intolerance and non-insulin-dependent |
| Factors related to the occurrence | | | | diabetes (NIDDM) occur in obese children and |
| of overweight and obesity are multifactorial in | | | | adolescents. |
| nature with the exception of certain single gene | | | | - Obese children have elevated serum levels of |
| disorders associated with human obesity | | | | low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides |
| (Prader-Willi, Bardet-Biedl, and Cohen syndromes). | | | | and lowered high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. |
| Some of known factors include: | | | | - Obese children are at increased risk of becoming |
| - Repeated and uncritical offering of a bottle as a | | | | obese adults. |
| method of dealing with a fretful or crying infant | | | | - The pickwickian syndrome is a rare complication |
| may establish a habit that leads the infant to seek | | | | of extreme exogenous obesity, in which patients |
| food whenever experiencing frustration. | | | | have severe cardiorespiratory distress with |
| - Uncritical early introduction of high-calorie solid | | | | hypoventilation. |
| foods may lead to rapid weight gain and obesity | | | | Prevention and treatment: |
| - Heredity has recently been shown to | | | | Early attempts to modify behavior commencing in |
| influence fatness, regional fat distribution, and | | | | infancy period, my effectively prevent overeating |
| response to overfeeding. Infants born to | | | | and obesity. Such attempts include; |
| overweight mothers have been found to be less | | | | 1. Feeding an infant on demand shortly after birth. |
| active and to gain more weight by age of three | | | | 2. Providing food only at signs of hunger in the 1st |
| months when compared with infants of normal | | | | year of life. |
| weight mothers, suggesting a possible inborn drive | | | | 3. Avoiding cueing by showing attractive foods or |
| to conserve energy. | | | | regimenting feeding times by clock. |
| - Excess fruit juice consumption by preschool-age | | | | 4. Teaching the child to eat only when hungry. |
| children has been reported to be associated with | | | | After childhood obesity is established, active |
| obesity. | | | | participation and motivation of both the child and |
| - excessive intake of high-energy foods | | | | the family is essential to implement an effective |
| - inadequate exercise in relation to age | | | | plan for weight reduction and maintenance. |
| - more sedentary life-style | | | | Techniques used for fat reduction in adults, such |
| - low metabolic rate relative to body mass | | | | as surgery, gastric balloons and |
| - increased insulin sensitivity | | | | pharmacotherapies are contraindicated in children. |
| The incidence of childhood obesity relates | | | | Very low-calorie diets are inappropriate because |
| strongly to family variables, including parental | | | | they may impair growth and development at |
| obesity (The risk of becoming obese is greatest | | | | critical points during childhood. |
| among children who have two obese parents), | | | | Successful treatment of childhood |
| small family size, and family patterns of inactivity. | | | | obesity requires attention to the following |
| An increased amount of time spent viewing T.V., | | | | components: |
| playing video games, or “surfing” the | | | | - Modification of diet and caloric content. |
| internet appears to correlate with an increased | | | | - Definition and use of appropriate exercise |
| incidence of childhood obesity. | | | | programs. |
| Complications of obesity: | | | | - Behavior modification of the child. |
| - Children with obesity experience significant social | | | | - Involvement of the family in therapy. |