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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – You plan for the worst and hope your forecasts are wrong says Tim Lobstein, PhD, Policy Director for the World Obesity Federation in London. Dr. Lobstein along with colleagues released data in 2016 that estimated 268 million children, aged 5 to 17 years old, may be overweight, including 91 million obese, by 2025. Assuming that no policy interventions have proven effective to slow down this weight gain, 12 million children will have impaired glucose tolerance putting them at risk for diabetes, 4 million will have type 2 diabetes, rarely seen in children in the past, 27 million will have hypertension putting them at risk for premature heart disease, and 38 million will have fatty livers which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) is a network of scientists around the world that provides data on health risks. It analyzed weight and height for 31.5 million children ages 5 to 19. More than 1,000 researchers contributed to this study which looked at how weight has changed worldwide between 1975 and 2016. Their results echoed the findings of the World Obesity Federation.
If current trends continue, they estimate that by 2022 more children and teens will be obese than those that are underweight. Many of those overweight children are also malnourished because unhealthy food choices are more appealing and cheaper than healthy choices. A glimmer of good news is that the rise of childhood and adolescent obesity has slowed or plateaued in high income countries. However, the US still has the highest obesity rates for both boys and girls within those high-income countries. The number of obese children continues to rise in low and middle-income countries, especially East Asia. Fiona Bull, PhD, who participated in the data collection said that the information collected reinforced that overweight and obesity is a global health crisis today and will worsen without effective intervention.
Why children gain too much weight is a complex issue ranging from biological to societal drivers. The World Health Organization (WHO) is publishing an Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) Plan. The plan encourages countries to try to reduce the consumption of cheap, ultra-processed, calorie dense, nutrition poor foods. Countries should also employ strategies to reduce the amount of screen time and sedentary activities while encouraging more participation in physical activity through sports but more importantly through simple, enjoyable recreation activities like old-fashioned play.
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine refuted the idea that physical activity slowed down during the teen years and was more likely in girls. What they discovered is that physical activity began to slow down by the age of 7 for both boys and girls. This challenges the prevailing belief that younger children get enough activity but teens do not. We need to encourage movement throughout childhood.
In an article published in Family Relations the authors looked at how the family and social systems interacted to increase the risk for weight gain in children. They looked at the cell to society approach to address the problem.
Genetics – genome studies have identified more than 20 genes that put a child at risk for obesity. What triggers activate or turn off these genes?
Intestinal microbes – can both help prevent or promote weight gain. We know that microbial gut colonization differs between lean and obese adults. When and why these changes occur could be a key to preventing childhood weight gain.
Family feeding practices – children with inhibition control and parents with more controlling feeding practices are at higher risk for obesity. The emotional climate of family meals can be predictive of both positive and negative eating behaviors.
Child-parent attachment – contribute to emotional and behavioral patterns. The authors felt this connection to emotional eating has never been fully examined and should be.
Family routines – provide a sense of order in daily life. Family meals become part of that routine. Disrupted by noise, eating by oneself, or TV viewing have all been connected to unhealthy eating.
Food marketing driving food consumption –children between 2 and 11 see numerous advertisements for high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt foods every day and they often perceive these foods as good. By age 5, children can identify common food brands and more accurately name poor food choices perhaps because they are the foods advertised more widely.
These predictions are grim but they can be altered if we can promote policies to keep our children trim and active. Sadly, this is no easy task.
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of 30 books. Available as eBooks from iTunes and Kindle/Amazon:
Diabetes Counter – the most up-to-date information on managing diabetes
Calorie Counter – a weight loss guide that won’t let you down
Protein Counter – put the latest protein recommendations to work for you
Healthy Wholefoods Counter – planet-friendly eating made easy
Complete Food Counter – food counts and nutrition information at your fingertips
Fat and Cholesterol Counter – newest approach to heart-healthy eating
Available in print from Gallery Books:
Most Complete Food Counter, 3rd Ed.
Your Complete Food Counter App: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/your-complete-food-counter/id444558777?mt=8
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to: www.TheNutritionExperts.com.