Active Lifestyle has recently opened a Fat Camp for children suffering from weight problems.
Active Kids
The Problem with Childhood Obesity
One in 10 six-year-olds is obese. The total number of obese children has doubled since 1982.
On present trends half of all children in England in 2020 could be obese. So is this just harmless puppy fat or something more serious?
What is the problem?
If a child becomes obese their body processes can change. Some of these may be difficult or even impossible to alter in adulthood.
Fat cells are laid down in the first few years of life. If fat is stored quickly, more fat cells are created-so an obese child can have up to three
times as many as a normal child. Eventually, fat cells stop multiplying and an adult has a fixed number for the rest of their life. The existing cells simply
swell or shrink to accommodate more fat.
The amount of fat the body wants to store is thought to be proportional to the total number of fat cells. So, if you were overweight as a child, your body is
programmed to carry more fat. This doesn't mean that you can't lose weight through diet and exercise, but it will be harder.
Health problems for kids
Few health problems are observed in obese children, but they may develop conditions that cause problems later in life, such as high blood pressure.
They may also suffer from 'sleep apnoea'. When this happens, soft tissue in the throat blocks the airways during sleep. This can stop their breathing for up to a minute.
This process can happen hundreds of times a night, leading to cardiovascular disease, memory problems, headaches and fatigue.
Diabetes risk
Some obese children may develop type II diabetes. Normally this condition only starts much later in life. When it strikes, the body stops being able
to process sugar properly and the cells are starved of energy. Type II diabetes cannot be cured, but it can be treated. It may lead to complications such as nerve damage,
heart disease, kidney disease and blindness. Children with this condition will have to live with it all their lives, increasing the chance of complications.
Negative body image can cause depression and social problems - overweight children are often teased. Low self-esteem may not directly affect physical health, but it is the
biggest problem encountered. It may even lead to 'comfort eating', exacerbating the situation. If our culture placed less emphasis on the 'perfect body', then at least one
set of issues associated with obesity would vanish.
