Health Update

by Dr. Eduardo G Gonzales

I drive my eight-year-old grandson to and from school everyday. I can’t help but notice that many of his classmates – boys and girls, are overweight. I know obese adults are at high risk for many diseases. What about obese children, do they also have health risks? Please write about obesity in children. – Bert A., Quezon City

Obesity has become so increasingly common that it is already considered a global epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO); and the problem is not limited to first world countries alone. In the Philippines for example, a considerable percentage of the population is overweight.

Particularly alarming is the growing number of children who are overweight. Studies show that children who are fat when they are between four to 11 years old frequently carry the condition to adulthood. If present trends continue, today’s generation will be the first to have a lifespan that is shorter than their parents because overweight children are — as you suspect — susceptible to a myriad of health problems.

What causes obesity in children? Rarely, it is the product of a genetic disease, but in general, it is simply the result of too much intake of fatty and sugary foods coupled with sedentary living over a long period of time. Children need extra nutrients and calories because they are still growing physically. Nevertheless, if they consume more calories than they require for their daily activities and normal physical growth and development, they become overweight. (more…)