Obesity is a modern health dilemma for children today. Obesity defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat. Obesity is present when total body weight is more than 25 percent fat in boys and more than 32 percent fat in girls. But not all obese infants become obese children, and not all obese children become obese adults.
Childhood obesity most likely results from an interaction of nutritional, psychological, familial, and physiological factors. The first problems to occur in obese children are usually emotional or psychological. Some are harassed or discriminated against by their own family and friends. Childhood obesity however can also lead to life threatening conditions including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep problems, cancer, and other disorders.
Obesity in children can result in feelings of fatigue, worthlessness, and hopelessness. Obesity is easier to prevent than to treat, and prevention focuses in large measure on parent education. In early childhood, education should include proper nutrition, selection of low-fat snacks, and good activity habits.
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