Prevention of Childhood Obesity – Long-Term Effects of Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity has nothing to do with comfortably plump babies or little angelic toddlers. Most children start life with the fulfillment they expect from their babies. These children grow and shed “baby fat” as they walk, run and become more active. considered. This means that a child weighing more than 80% of her peers of the same height, age and gender is overweight.

Many people say it’s okay to be overweight before puberty because people automatically start shedding extra pounds when they reach puberty. This happens to some people, but not everyone. A young person who is considered obese is 70% more likely to be obese when she grows up.

The long-term effects of childhood overweight can be divided into physical and psychological effects. The long-term effects of childhood obesity can physically shorten an individual’s life expectancy and reduce an individual’s expected quality of life. Psychologically, obesity can cause great dissatisfaction in an individual’s life.

Effects of obesity on the body include (but are not limited to):

• High blood pressure (hypertension)

• Type II diabetes

• Heart disease, including coronary artery disease

Gallbladder – including bile – stones

• Osteoarthritis (deterioration of the cartilage and bones that make up the joints of the body)

• Breast cancer

• Colon cancer

• Kidney cancer

• Liver cancer

Stroke

High cholesterol

Sleep apnea

Difficulty breathing

Premature death

Back pain

Difficulty getting pregnant, menstrual problems

Fungal infection

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• Depression

• Anxiety

• Minor self-esteem

• Mood disorders and suicidal thoughts

• Embarrassment

Being overweight not only affects a person’s physical and mental state but also their quality of life. Life-altering effects of this condition include (but are not limited to):

• I cannot walk without pain or discomfort. This pain and discomfort can include joint pain, back pain, and difficulty breathing.

• Difficulty finding suitable clothing

• I can’t sit in some chairs. Most chairs in public places are designed for people weighing 250 pounds or less. Obese people may not be able to sit in a chair in a restaurant or waiting room.

• Vehicle seat belts may not fit properly around obese people

• An overweight person may have to pay for her two seats on a plane or bus while traveling.

You may have trouble finding a scale that can measure your weight

• Often feel lonely due to low self-esteem and social awkwardness.

All of the long-term effects of obesity lead to increased healthcare costs in the United States and around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control, $190.2 billion is spent each year treating obesity-related diseases in the United States alone. This means that 21% of the money the US spends on medical problems each year is spent on obesity. CDC.gov estimates that $14 billion of those dollars is spent on treating diseases that affect obese children. The only way to stop obesity is to not start obesity. Everyone needs to address this issue for things to change. Some of the things you can do to stop this epidemic include (but are not limited to):

• More education for parents and guardians

• Changes to dishes at popular restaurants where children often eat

• Campaigns to encourage young people to be physically active and spend less time watching television and video games

• Insurance companies that offer discounted rates to families whose age, gender, and height fit the correct BMI chart.

It will take a community effort to make the necessary changes to prevent this condition from killing so many people prematurely.