"A coming epidemic" is how pediatric cardiologists are describing the impending problems from high rates of juvenile obesity, reports The Missourian. Here are details for parents about overweight kids, heart disease and other concomitant health issues.
* According to the CDC, three times as many kids are obese now compared to 30 years ago. In 2008, more than one-third of children were overweight or obese. Kids who are overweight are susceptible to diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance, heart problems, hypertension, cholesterol problems and other health issues typically associated only with adults.
* Dr. Burt Bromberg of Mercy Children's Hospital in Missouri, a pediatric heart specialist, adds heart attack and heart disease to that list. Dr. Bromberg told the Missourian that, typically, the patients he sees are children with structural heart defects or electrical disorders. However, these numbers are few compared to what he calls "brewing heart problems" caused by the increasing rate of obese kids.
* Dr. Bromberg says that although overweight kids may not exhibit current heart problems, weight problems lay the groundwork for future heart issues. He quotes a study which showed that children who were obese start to show symptoms of heart disease much earlier than kids of normal weight. He warns parents that it's never too early to start children on healthy lifestyle choices.
* Childhood obesity starts at home says the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 50 percent of kids with an overweight parent will also be overweight. If children have two overweight parents it increases the likelihood by 80 percent. Additionally weight problems that begin in childhood carry over to adulthood. 80 percent of kids who are obese at ages 10-13 will continue to have weight problems as adults.
* Recently, parents and some health care providers were angered by Georgia's childhood obesity public service ads, showing overweight children expressing shame over their weight problems. Georgia the second highest childhood obesity rate, yet three-quarters of parents refused to admit that their children were overweight, says Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Their Strong4Life "Stop Sugar-Coating it, Georgia" ad campaign was a wake-up call to parents about the many health risks for overweight kids.
* A recent study from the American Heart Association found that the biggest factor in weight loss with kids, is parent support, assistance and participation. Dr. Bromberg underscored the importance of parent involvement, saying that home is the best place to prevent childhood obesity early in life. He lists portion control, calorie counting, attention to nutrition, low-fat diet, monitoring of screen time and family exercise as keys to obesity prevention.
Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben writes about parenting issues from 23 years raising four children and 25 teaching K-8, special needs, adult education and homeschool.
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