If your child indulges in the occasional meal at a fast food restaurant, it may be no cause for alarm. As long as he generally eats healthy foods and stays active, his weight should remain at a healthy level for his age. However, if your child is overweight or obese, like approximately one in three kids in the United States, it may cause him serious medical problems in adulthood, according to KidsHealth.org in the article "Overweight and Obesity."
Type 2 Diabetes
If your child eats a poor diet that features large quantities of saturated fat, cholesterol and sugar, it may change the way his body reacts to the glucose that is present in the bloodstream, notes MayoClinic.com in the article "Childhood Obesity." In a healthy body, insulin is released into the bloodstream to metabolize the sugar in the bloodstream. Due to obesity or a poor diet, the body may stop responding to the insulin, causing type 2 diabetes. Losing weight and eating healthy foods may reverse the problem, in some cases.
High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
Eating foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol may put your child at risk for high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol -- both of which may cause heart disease later on in life. If your child eats foods that contain lots of low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol, it may build up and harden in the arteries. Combining high cholesterol with high blood pressure may be a fatal combination, because it increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to MayoClinic.com.
Premature Death
According to a 2010 study published by the "New England Journal of Medicine," conducted by Paul W. Franks, Ph.D., Robert L. Hanson, M.D. and their colleagues, children who are obese may have an increased risk of dying at approximately age 55 or younger. If your child is diagnosed with hypertension or type 2 diabetes, she may have an increased likelihood of dying at a young age, notes the study.
Breathing Disorders
Children who are obese may cause lung problems and breathing difficulties, like asthma, notes MayoClinic.com. Because of the extra weight and pressure on the airways and lungs, obesity may interfere with the child's ability to breathe properly. Obesity may also put your child at risk for sleep apnea, where breathing is abnormal and may even stop periodically while sleeping. Sleep apnea may also cause snoring. Your child's doctor may recommend a breathing mask or other device to force the airways open while sleeping.
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