Causes of childhood obesity

Edited by Dr. Davide Sganzerla

Childhood obesity has a multifactorial genesis; as such, it is the result of various causes, more or less evident, which interact with each other. First of all, it is due to an "excessive and poor diet, linked or not to a reduced activity physical and genetic-familial factors. Cases of obesity linked to hormonal alterations such as hypothyroidism or adrenal dysfunction are rare. (Confalone, 2002).

POWER SUPPLY

If it is true that an insufficient diet can lead to various types of deficits (proteins, calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients essential for growth), on the other hand, an excessive caloric intake first determines an overweight of the child, then, in the majority of cases , manifest obesity.
Overeating in the first two years of life, in addition to causing an increase in the volume of fat cells (hypertrophy), also determines an increase in their number (hyperplasia); as adults, therefore, there will be a greater predisposition to obesity and a difficulty in losing weight or keeping it within limits, because it will be possible to reduce the size of the cells, but it will not be possible to eliminate them. Intervention during the developmental age is therefore of fundamental importance, because it guarantees better and lasting results (Confalone, 2002).

SEDENTARITY

In addition to an incorrect and unbalanced diet, reduced physical activity or a sedentary lifestyle, the result of a wrong lifestyle, but increasingly frequent, should not be underestimated as a risk factor.
The little ones, in fact, are often accompanied by their parents by car (even if the school or the gym are a few meters from home), they take the lift even for one floor only, they spend hours and hours in front of the computer and the television (with children). negative examples that accentuate bad eating habits), they come out less and less and so on.
In the report "Obesity in children and young people: A crisis in public health" written by a group of international experts (IOTF) headed by the WHO (World Health Organization), and in collaboration with IASO (the "International Association for the Study of "Obesity), the main social trends contributing to the" increase in childhood obesity "have been identified:

• increased use of motorized transport (for example to go to school);
• decrease in physical activity during free time and consequent increase in sedentary lifestyle;
• increased time spent watching TV;
• increase in the quantity and variety of fatty and energy foods and related increase in their advertising;
• increased use of restaurants and fast food restaurants for lunch and dinner, which offer large portions at a low price;
• increase in the number of meals during the day;
• increase in the use of soft and carbonated soft drinks as a substitute for water.

Physical exercise is of fundamental importance for the growing child, as, in addition to making him lose weight, it makes him more active, helping to redistribute the proportions between lean mass (muscle tissue) and fat mass (adipose tissue). (Confalone, 2002).
According to Schoeller et al. , to avoid weight gain it is possible to hypothesize a “threshold level” of exercise corresponding to about 80 minutes of moderate physical activity or 35 minutes of intense activity per day (Giampietro, 1998 - page 7).
It is therefore sufficient to practice, in a constant manner, a light aerobic activity, without straining the body too much (such as pedaling a bike or a walk); this subjects the muscles to a moderate but constant effort, inducing them to draw fuel especially from the fat reservoir (Confalone, 2002).

FAMILY

Family factors are no less decisive than the previous ones. In some respects, obesity can be considered a hereditary problem and, in others, a consequence of environmental factors.
A "multipurpose survey carried out by ISTAT in 2000 shows that about 25% of overweight children and adolescents have an obese or overweight parent, while the percentage of children rises to about 34% when both parents are obese or overweight. .
The example of the family is fundamental: we cannot talk about food education if the parents do not begin to follow a balanced diet first.
As regards the hereditary nature of obesity, alterations of some genes having a role in the production of fat cells have been highlighted, but the studies are still ongoing. (Confalone, 2002).

Other articles on "Causes of" Childhood Obesity "

1. Childhood obesity
2. Childhood obesity consequences
3. Childhood obesity incidence Italy
4. Childhood obesity incidence in Europe and the world
5. Childhood obesity solutions
6. Childhood obesity bibliography