Much more than an aesthetic issue, childhood obesity is a major health problem. A growing wave of obesity among children is helping fuel a parallel epidemic in the rate of diabetes. In the last two decades, the incidence of obesity among adults and children has risen nearly 50 percent. As defined by federal standards, approximately 30 percent
of adults and 25 percent of children are considered obese today.

Surprise: Surplus of junk food, TV leads to overweight kids

If non-experts were asked to weigh in with their opinions on the causes of this preponderance of poundage,
it would not be surprising to find a couple of responses at the top of their list: Kids eat too much junk and they watch too much television.

children are not close to meeting recommendations to increase their consumption of high-fiber foods, complex carbohydrates and calcium and to reduce fat. Additionally,
as the hours of television watched by children increases, so does their weight.


Diabetes and other issues related to childhood obesity.

Obese children may have greater difficulty with high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, orthopedic problems, sleeping habits as well as self esteem and peer-group relationships. Several studies have indicated that adults who were obese children are
less likely to earn as much as people with ideal weight and are less likely to marry or get a higher education. Sleeping difficulties, poor performance in school and even symptoms of attention deficit disorder may be related to childhood obesity.

In a study published last year in the journal Pediatrics, researchers reviewed dietary information gathered from 3,300 children aged 2 to 19 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"We know that obesity in children has a carry-over effect to adulthood," says Ramin Alemzadeh, M.D. associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin and medical director of the diabetes program at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.
"The concern we have with obesity is that there's a parallel increase in diabetes, particularly type-2 or so-called non-insulin-dependent diabetes."

Ironically, while the amount of fat in the average American diet has decreased in recent years, the incidence of childhood obesity is still
on the rise.

It's best to assess the various causes of a child's weight problem, whether it be genetic, metabolic, environmental or nutritional and treat both the medical and emotional factors. For example, diet plans for children should be accompanied by exercise plans, plus long-term follow-up and counseling for the best results. "Shunting a child off to a dietitian for meal plans and telling him or her to get more exercise isn't a viable approach without follow-up to head off frustration if results are not immediate," Dr. Alemzadeh says.

 
The link between fiber and obesity

Newer research shows that being overweight is seen less often in children who eat a high fiber diet. This works the other way as well. Children who do not eat a high fiber diet are more likely to be overweight.
 

Recommendation - Ever wonder if your child is getting enough fiber in his or her diet? There is a fast and easy way to tell how much fiber children and young adults ages two to 20 need each day. Simply take the age of the child and add five to find out how many grams of fiber are needed for one day. For example: a nine year old child needs 14 grams of fiber per day (nine years old + five = 14 grams per day). This only works until the age of 20. Anyone older than 20 needs 25-35 grams of fiber per day. A fiber-rich diet for children younger than age two is not recommended.

The Age Plus Five Rule is a fast and easy way to know how much fiber your child needs. Fiber is an important part of our diets. Too little fiber can cause constipation and may increase the chances of becoming overweight. The old saying "an apple a day helps keep the doctor away" may be about fiber!  For information on fiber supplementation for Children over the age of 2, see article on fiber elsewhere in this newsletter.

 

Obesity in children may have as much to do with what kids drink as it does with what they eat, a new report by The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center's Nutrition Information Center finds.

"Liquid intake seriously impacts the overall diet of American children," says report author Barbara Levine, Ph.D., R.D. and Director of New York- Cornell's Nutrition Information Center. "Pediatricians, nutritionists, parents and care providers need to make every effort to teach children how to make healthy beverage choices an essential part of a nutritious, well-balanced diet."

By 1994, the average teenager consumed 64.5 gallons of soft drink per year, triple the amount consumed in 1978 (20.6 gallons). On average, 75 percent of teenage boys drank almost three 12-ounce cans of soda per day, and two-thirds of teenage girls drank approximately two cans, this according to the 1994 United States Department of Agriculture survey, "What We Eat in America."

During the same period, soft drink consumption more than doubled in children ages 6 to 11 and non-citrus juice (those other than 100% juice, like apple & grape based mixes) consumption among young children also tripled.

"This dramatic rise in high calorie beverage consumption among children and teens occurred during approximately the same years as did the most significant increase in childhood and adolescent obesity," the report states.

A number of negative health consequences have been attributed to improper liquid nutrition including bone fractures which can lead to osteoporosis due to deficient calcium intake as well as tooth decay and other tooth wear problems such as tooth tissue loss due to excess sugar. Dehydration, especially during hot weather, is another serious risk.

Recommendations for Healthy Beverage Choices

"We believe it is time to help children and adolescents break the high calorie fruit drink and soft drink habit," the report states and offers several key suggestions that can make healthier beverages more tasteful, available and enjoyable. Given the opportunity, children may even come to view water as a beverage!

• Make Healthy Beverage Alternatives More Flavorful
  Mix sparkling mineral water and fruit juice. Diluting high-calorie fruit juices with water provides a refreshing beverage alternative.
   
• Make Healthy Beverage Alternatives Easily Accessible
  Keep refrigerated water and water-abundant fruits (watermelon, grapes, cantaloupe) easily accessible at home. Place children's cups and drinking glasses near the home water cooler.
   
• Incorporate Substitutes Gradually
  Substitute 100% juice for sugared drinks and place water in children's lunch boxes
  a few times during the week.
   
• Make Healthy Beverage Alternatives Appealing
  Beverage consumption is as much a social activity as a means to remain hydrated and quench thirst. The very fact that bottled water can be purchased in single-serve bottles in a variety of flavors puts it in the same league with soft drinks.