estimated to be 25–30%. Furthermore, they estimated
the proliferation of obesity has increased by 54% in
children six to 11 years of age and by 39% in adoles-
cents 12 to 17 years of age. Morbid obesity jumped
98% and 64% within these groups, respectively. His-
panic, Native American and black children tend to
have higher rates in relation to other populations.
Because of these statistics, weight loss diets for
children have surfaced. Although weight loss in chil-
dren is a hot debate in the medical field, there are times
when a child’s weight should be evaluated and possi-
bly treated by medical professionals who specialize in
weight loss for children.
Complications
Childhood obesity can cause complications in
many organ systems. These obesity-related medical
conditions include cardiovascular disease; type 2dia-
betes mellitus, and degenerative joint disease.
Orthopedic complications include slipped capital
femoral epiphysis that occurs during the adolescent
growth spurt and is most frequent in obese children.
The slippage causes a limp and/or hip, thigh and knee
pain in children and can result in considerable
disability.
Blount’s disease (tibia vara) is a growth disorder
of the tibia (shin bone) that causes the lower leg to
angle inward, resembling a bowleg. The cause is
unknown but is associated with obesity. It is thought
to be related to weight-related effects on the growth
plate. The inner part of the tibia, just below the knee,
fails to develop normally, causing angulation of the
bone.
Overweight children with hypertension may expe-
rience blurred margins of the optic disks that may
indicate pseudotumor cerebri, this creates severe head-
aches and may lead to loss of visual fields or visual
acuity.
Research shows that 25 out of 100 overweight, inac-
tive children tested positive for sleep-disordered breath-
ing. The long-term consequences of sleep-disordered
breathing on children are unknown. As in adults,
obstructive sleep apnea can cause a lot of complications,
including poor growth, headaches, high blood pressure
and other heart and lung problems and they are also
potentially fatal disorders.
Abdominal pain or tenderness may reflect gall
bladder disease, for which obesity is a risk factor in
adults, although the risk in obese children may be
much lower. Children who are overweight have a
higher risk for developing gallbladder disease andgall-
stonesbecause they may produce more cholesterol, a
risk factor for gallstones. Or due to being overweight,
they may have an enlarged gallbladder, which may not
work properly.
Endocrinologic disorders related to obesity include
noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), an
increasingly common condition in children that
once used to be extremely rare. The link between obe-
sity and insulin resistance is well documented and
which is a major contributor to cardiovascular
disease.
Hypertension (high blood pressure), and dyslipi-
demias (high blood lipids), conditions that add to the
long-term cardiovascular risks conferred by obesity
are common in obese children.
Childhood obesity also threatens the psychosocial
development of children. In a society that places such
a high premium on thinness, obese children often
become targets of early and systematic discrimination
that can seriously hinder healthy development ofbody
imageand self-esteem, thus leading to depression and
possibly suicide.
In all of these examples, it is recommended that
the primary clinician should consult a pediatric obe-
sity specialist about an appropriate weight-loss or
weight maintenance program.KEY TERMS
Obesity—Having a body mass index (BMI) at or
above the sex- and age-specific 95th percentile of
the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Preven-
tion BMI cutoff points. Obesity having too much
body fat.
Overweight—When a person’s weight is greater
than what is considered healthy for his or her
height.
Body mass index (BMI)—Expressed as body weight
in kilograms divided by the square of height in
meters (kg/m2), is a weight-for-height index.
Idiopathic—Used to describe a disease or disorder
that has no known cause.
Endogenous—With no apparent external cause,
originating within the organism or tissue.
Behavior therapy—A non-biological form of ther-
apy that developed largely out of learning theory
research and is normally applied to the treatment of
specific maladaptive behavior patterns.Children’s diets