The effect of the environment seems to have an important role through the action of endocrine chemical disorders, Ms Papagiannis notes, among other things.
Modern lifestyle has brought about changes in diet with more and more unhealthy choices, reduced physical activity, increased in front of a screen and a reduction in sleep duration, events that have led to an increase in obesity and especially childhood and adolescence. According to the World Health Organization, “obesity” defines the abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat that can adversely affect a person’s health.
The Body Mass Index (BMI) emphasizes at the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency Maria Papagianni, pediatrician-pediatrician, assistant professor of the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition at the University of Thessaly, is an easy and easy-to-do. And while for adults the use of the BMI easily classifies a person as normal when he has a <25 BMI, overweight when he has 25> BMI <30 and obese when he has BMI> 30, in children and adolescents the same is not the case because of their continuous change of weight and height as they grow older. So, according to her, it is necessary to use BMI charts, based on the criteria set by IOTF (International Obesity Task Force), by the pediatrician to assess each child/adolescent.
According to figures (World Health Organization) in 2022, there were 37,000,000 obese children <5 years old and> 390,000,000 obese children and adolescents 5-19 years, while according to OECD data we have conquered as a country, the first of the incidence of obesity in childhood and adolescence. After the epidemic of the crown, it appears that the frequency has increased.
The etiology, Mrs Papagiannis points out is complex and multifactorial. Genetics, endocrinological (eg hypothyroidism, hypercortisolemia), psychological, neurological, environmental, pharmaceutical agents are responsible and/or contributing to obesity with the first two responsible for <1% of cases. Certainly malnutrition, he stresses, in combination with the lack of physical activity, hold the lion's portion on the etiology of childhood and adolescent obesity while the effect of the environment seems to have an important role through the action of endocrine chemical disorders.
Risk factors for the appearance of obesity in childhood and adolescence, adds, are: Parents’ obesity, increased screen time (TV-DVD-Videogames-mobile phone), lack of exercise, malnutrition, lack of sleep, low or high birth weight, diabetes, diabetes, diabetes, Obesity (eg Prader-Willi) as well as corticosteroid treatment.
It is important for parents to understand their child’s overweight in a timely manner in order to take steps to overthrow his or her development into an obese. Unfortunately, as it has been shown, the Assistant Professor explains, and through scientific studies, a significant number of parents “see” their overweight child and their obese child as an overweight.
Speaking about the complications, she stresses that childhood obesity has serious complications and is associated with several other morbidity. Among other things, he stresses:
“The most important complication is that> 80% of obese children will be obese as adults with an increased likelihood of serious complications and diseases. Some of the complications of childhood obesity are hormonal disorders (eg hypothyroidism), sleep apnea, atherosclerosis from an early age, and dyslipidemia that will later lead to hypertension and increased mortality from cardiovascular disease. Also, fatty liver infiltration, diabetes and then diabetes and in addition, girls of polycystic ovary syndrome. Significant negative is also the effect of obesity on growth and informed, with an increased chance of a lower final stature than genetically estimated as well as early puberty. It is observed in these children accelerating the increase and bone ripening that leads to early puberty with a negative impact on the final stature. ” To end up pointing out:
“The treatment of obesity in children and adolescents is multifactorial and it is necessary for the whole family to participate. The basic principles are the adoption of healthy nutrition habits, an increase in physical activity, the reduction of screen time and the increase in sleep duration. Recently, medicinal products have also been entered into our quiver to treat this serious disease in adolescents as well as bariatric surgery. “
Source: RES-EIA