Effects of childhood obesity

Effects of childhood obesity
Obesity is a big problem in today’s world. But an even bigger problem could be childhood obesity. This is because it not only affects the child at his present age, but also hampers his development as an adult.
Immediate effects
The immediate effects of obesity in a child are immense.
Health effects
Obese children are known to suffer from type-2 diabetes, which is usually seen in adults.
They are more prone to cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which can cause a lot of damage to children. Obese children face difficulty in sleeping, which is marked by deep snoring and heavy breathing.
New studies show that obese children are at a higher risk of asthma. Other lesser known problems also plague these children. Hip pain, liver malfunction, gall bladder diseases, pancreatitis, headaches are some of them.
Obese children suffer from lack of stamina and energy, which hamper the child’s ability to enjoy his childhood.
Psychological and social effects
Apart from the direct health problems, the child also faces psychological and social problems. Obese children are frequently teased by friends and family. They are seen as people with whom nobody would want to be with.
Obese children are also less likely to participate in sports. They also have to dress differently. They are constantly made to be conscious of their weight.
All this results in decreased self-esteem and lack of social experience, leading to bigger problems in the development of the child.
Long term effects
An obese child is more likely to become an obese adult. Such an adult is at a high risk of getting diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, and other such weight related diseases.
Studies have shown that even if an obese child does not grow into an obese adult, the risk of these diseases in them is still high.
People who were obese in their childhood carry their low self esteem into their adulthood. This leads to relationship, career and social problems.
Obese adults are also more prone to some types of cancer.

All this suggest that obesity is a deadly condition which is to be avoided, especially in childhood.