Childhood Obesity

Many people think that obesity is simply ‘overeating;’ however, it is much more complicated than that. Obesity is defined as a progressive, life-threatening, costly disease of excess fat storage. It has become a dangerous epidemic that can result in serious health complications, even in teens and young adults.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 5 children and adolescents in the US is diagnosed with obesity. As obesity rises, doctors are finding that significant weight gain is linked to several major medical conditions.

What is BMI?

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based upon height and weight. You can determine your teen's BMI using the CDC's BMI Percentile Calculator.

What Causes Obesity in Children?

Obesity in teens and young adults is a complicated condition with many possible causes, including:

• Genetic: Each person is born with a certain genetic make-up that can lead to morbid obesity. This includes how your body accumulates fat, how many fat cells you have, and how big they are.
• Environmental: The lifestyle choices that individuals make plays an important role in the development of obesity, including how much physical activity you get, what and how much you eat, and the amount of sleep you get, etc.
• Biochemical: There are hormones in our bodies that impact our body’s ability to manage stress and hormones, therefore impacting how we burn fat.
• Cultural: Our families, friends, and employment all impact our consumption of foods and beverages.
• Neurological and physiologic: Depression, low self-esteem, and poor stress management are all associated with morbid obesity.

Why is childhood obesity a problem?

Obesity in teens and young adults is associated with many health problems or diseases that we call comorbid conditions, or comorbidities. These health problems worsen as teens progress into adulthood.