Juvenile obesity: the importance of exercise - and getting children to do it

Studies have indicated that the percentage of children in the US who are obese has markedly increased since 1963, and that presently, up to 25 percent of all children are obese. This constitutes a major health risk because obesity has been associated with elevated blood pressure, diabetes, gallbladder disease and abnormal blood lipid levels (e.g., cholesterol), which also may be related to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. One study indicated that obese children had three or more risk factors for heart disease. Weight loss in children is more complicated than in adults because children are also growing. Dietary intervention such as reducing diets may have serious side effects in children, including abnormalities of growth. Although diets can produce immediate and noticeable effects in children that are positive and encouraging, there is always concern that there will be a negative impact on growth and development. Exercise is an effective means of reducing body fat in children. It is quite possible for children to lose fat and gain weight at the same time; this seeming paradox makes the management of obesity in children more complicated. The challenge for the physician is to facilitate reduction of the child's body fat with building of the lean body mass (muscle and bone). Psychological issues also play a role; the overweight child may lack self-confidence and as a result may be reluctant to exercise. In all, an individualized and balanced program of diet and increased physical activity can be used to reduce obesity in children. Many issues regarding the short- and long-term effects of increased physical activities for obese children remain to be resolved. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)