Even very young children are aware of the negative view held by society towards obese people and it seems likely that this could have an adverse impact on the developing sense of self and self-esteem. Unsurprisingly, obese children often suffer with poor self-image, low self-confidence and even depression. The risk of psychological problems increases with age and girls appear to be at greater risk than boys. We also know that children with weight problems are more likely to under-perform at school.
It’s also important to recognise that if your child is obese, he/she is much more likely to become an obese adult. In one study 69% of obese 6-9-year olds and 83% of 10-14 year olds became obese in adulthood.
Physical
If your child is overweight or obese, he/she is more
likely to develop serious physical problems in the future. The
conditions which the obese child is likely to develop are those with
which we are familiar in adults, including high blood pressure, type 2
diabetes, high cholesterol levels and heart problems and some cancers.
They may also suffer with asthma, premature arthritis, gout and liver
disease.
Whilst these conditions may not become evident until adulthood,
sometimes early damage can be done and the problems may begin to develop
while he/she is still a child. For example, one recent study of
children aged between 6-19 years found evidence of damage to the lining
of the arteries that was more consistent with those of a middle-aged
adult. This helps to explain why some scientists believe the present
generation of children could be the first generation to have a shorter
lifespan than their parents.
The development of type II diabetes in children – a
condition usually associated with middle-aged obese adults - is of
particular concern, given the strong association between diabetes and
heart disease, kidney problems and damage to the eyes which can lead to
blindness. In some adolescent clinics, type 2 diabetes now represents up
to one half of new cases of diabetes. The diabetic population in the UK
– currently around 2.4 million – is set to double in the next 10-15
years and many of those newly diagnosed cases will be in children.
A summary of the health consequences of childhood obesity
