Childhood Obesity
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Genetic Factors
Heredity influences childhood obesity by influencing regional fat distribution and fat as a response to overfeeding. In rare cases of severe obesity with childhood onset, a single gene has a major effect in determining the occurence of obesity, with the environment having only a permissive role in the severity of the phenotype. Leptin is an important hormone in body weight regulation and linkage results suggests the region of chromosome 7 containing the leptin gene co-segregates with extreme obesity, leptin coding mutations are rare. Children who have Prader-Willi Syndrome, a neurodevelopmental genetic disorder, who are between 18 months and three years may exhibit neonatal hypotonia, developmental delay, and childhood obesity. Their metabolism suddenly slows down and they gain a lot of weight. From then on, they have a voracious appetite. Children with this disorder have abnormal levels of horomones and neurotransmitters that control metabolism, hunger, and feelings of fullness. Genetics may effect children who are overweight and may also effect the development of extreme obesity.
Prevention & Treatment
Immediate action is required in order to seize the opportunity of challenging a disease epidemic, related to overweight children. The obesity epidemic and its impact on health and health care costs emphasize both the importance of effective strategies to prevent the development of new cases of overweight children and the need for effective treatment of those who are already overweight. The government can be an effective change agent by improving access to family-based child obesity services. Targeting the family is important because insufficient parental nurturing leaves children at risk of emotional overeating. Emotional overeating has a negative impact on the self-esteem of children and adolescents, which may have significant implications for long-term happiness and success in life. In cases where preventive measures cannot totally overcome the influence of hereditary factors, parent education should focus on building self-esteem and address psychological issues. Some basic childhood education includes proper nutrition, selection of low-snacks, good exercise/activity habits, and monitoring of television viewing.
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