| Children who are overweight are faced with social | | | | will help each child maintain a healthy weight into |
| difficulties - labeled as "fat" and less able to take part | | | | adulthood. |
| in physical activities. But there are silent metabolic | | | | The Role of Genes - There is no doubt that parents |
| changes taking place as well that set the stage for | | | | who are obese, have diabetes or cardiovascular |
| serious health problems like diabetes, heart disease | | | | disease, or who have symptoms of metabolic |
| and high blood pressure. | | | | syndrome are much more likely to have children who |
| One startling development has been that type II | | | | develop these problems. The early stages of |
| diabetes, a disease originally characterized by its | | | | metabolic syndrome, diabetes and heart disease can |
| development during adulthood (alternate name is | | | | be present without any outward symptoms. Since |
| "adult-onset" diabetes), is now being diagnosed in | | | | being overweight puts such a burden on the body's |
| children. | | | | ability to metabolize glucose, overweight children |
| Silent Diseases of Childhood Obesity - Unfortunately, | | | | develop problems with glucose control. |
| many of the health dangers of childhood obesity have | | | | Newborn babies who are born at a lower weight than |
| no outward symptoms. First, being overweight as a | | | | normal have a greater risk of developing insulin |
| child leads to impaired glucose tolerance, a condition | | | | resistance and metabolic syndrome as adults. The |
| where the body cannot use insulin to metabolize | | | | theory for why this happens has to do with how the |
| glucose as well as it should. | | | | body compensates for having a low weight. If a baby |
| This condition can lead to insulin resistance and type II | | | | is born small or underweight, there was a time during |
| diabetes, most often in children who continue to gain | | | | development when calories were not available or the |
| weight. Insulin resistance seems to be the main driver | | | | body was not able to use them properly to put on |
| for developing a whole host of chronic health problems | | | | weight. Because of this, the body may make metabolic |
| like metabolic syndrome, altered blood lipid levels, | | | | changes so that it uses calories more efficiently. In |
| diabetes and heart disease. | | | | other words, underweight babies may be poised to get |
| Fat metabolism is also affected by obesity. Fatty liver | | | | more energy from calories than babies of normal |
| disease is a condition that occurs in those who | | | | weight who may be less efficient when using calories. |
| consume too much alcohol over time. It also can | | | | Babies born to mothers who have diabetes or |
| develop in people who do not consume too much | | | | gestational diabetes are also more likely to become |
| alcohol and is associated with being obese. As you | | | | obese and develop diabetes themselves. |
| may have guessed, fatty liver disease is now being | | | | Lifestyles for Healthy Children - Exercise has multiple |
| seen in obese children and has become the most | | | | benefits to childhood health. Frequent exercise helps |
| common liver disease in obese adolescents in North | | | | children maintain a healthy weight. Plus, exercise |
| America. | | | | directly improves insulin sensitivity and glucose control. |
| Diabetes and fatty liver disease are serious but we | | | | Of course, a healthy diet is also important. For children |
| now know that they are far from being isolated | | | | struggling with obesity, choose simple, whole foods |
| conditions. They are associated with a range of | | | | such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans as |
| diseases and health problems including heart diseases | | | | the basis of every day meals and snacks. Limit |
| and hypertension. | | | | processed foods which are often high in fat, sugar, |
| Preventing Childhood Obesity - Once a child becomes | | | | and manufactured ingredients. Finally, eat at planned |
| overweight, it is very difficult to achieve a healthy | | | | times with family and eat at fast food restaurants only |
| weight during the childhood years. The best approach | | | | occasionally. |
| is to prevent childhood obesity. It's important to first | | | | If you can incorporate daily physical activity into a |
| understand what conditions place a child at a greater | | | | child's day, you will create a positive cycle of weight |
| risk of becoming obese. Then, create a lifestyle that | | | | loss, improved glucose control, and a healthier heart. |