According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than tripled since 1980. Children age 6 to 11 have seen a 13 percent increase in obesity, while obese adolescents, 12 to 19 years old have increased by more than 17 percent. Obesity is usually caused by a combination of unhealthy eating habits and lack of regular physical activity. It can also lead to many serious health problems.
Type 2 Diabetes
For some children, obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes. It is a chronic condition brought on by not eating right and not exercising enough. If a child eats lots of unhealthy sugar snacks, and does not get enough physical activity, it can lead to complications. Type 2 diabetes is when the body has trouble metabolizing glucose. It can be a life-threatening condition if not treated, and is resistant to the effects of insulin.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is not a disease but a bunch of related conditions that can develop through childhood obesity. These can include heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar. According to the CDC, 70 percent of all obese youths age 5 to 17 have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease. High cholesterol can also lead to plaques in the arteries, which could cause narrowing or hardening of the arteries. And that can also lead to heart attacks or strokes later in life.
Breathing Problems
The extra weight on a child's body from obesity can lead to problems with breathing and the proper development of organs like the lungs. For some children and teenagers, obesity can lead to asthma, which also makes treating obesity with exercise more difficult. Difficult breathing conditions can also lead to sleeping disorders like sleep apnea, where snoring or abnormal breathing patterns can lead to little or no sleep at night.
Social and Emotional Issues
Childhood obesity can also have many social and emotional issues. It is very common for overweight children to have low self-esteem or suffer from bullying and teasing from their peers. These kinds of situations can also lead to severe cases of depression and learning problems. The poor social skills created by low self-esteem can make learning and participating in school activities more difficult. Some overweight children act out and create mischief to gain attention. The stress from low self-esteem and depression can also lead to hopelessness, sleeplessness and strange behavior.
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