That's the best advice from medical experts who are seeing more children become obese every year from lounging around and filling up on lousy food low in nutrients and high in fats and sugars. And, they warn, if today's overweight children don't slim down and start moving around, they're destined to become tomorrow's critically ill adults. What worries doctors the most is that obesity and inactivity are linked to several serious medical conditions traditionally seen in adults, including type II diabetes, which they are seeing in record numbers and was previously unheard of in youth. In addition to hypertension and high cholesterol, diabetes is a growing concern. We expect kids will begin as early as age 20, and this will place a tremendous financial burden on the nation.
Lifestyle changes are the biggest culprit.
Health professionals are seeing children who skip breakfast, eat high-fat foods for lunch and snack until bedtime because a hectic lifestyle prevents their working parents from making regular dinners. The number has gone up dramatically in the last two decades and there are several serious health consequences. More obese children also are being treated by Prapti Kanani, pediatric cardiologist at Children's Hospital, for high cholesterol and high blood pressure. In his pediatric practice, Rajakumar has seen myriad other childhood health woes that he attributes to obesity. Extra folds of flesh in the throat can obstruct airways, causing sleep apnea, or periodic cessation of breathing, he said.