The guideline provides recommendations on how to evaluate affected children for medical or psychological complications and the need for genetic testing.
- Obesity in children and teenagers impose an estimated $14.1 billion in additional prescription drug, emergency room and outpatient medical visit costs each year.
- Reducing the burden of childhood obesity is a major concern to lower the risk of other diseases in the long run.
- The Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline was published to help physicians prevent and treat child obesity.
Childhood Obesity - Criteria - Causes - Complications, Treatment
Childhood obesity is one of the most serious health challenges in the developing countries and needs to be understood and tackled effectively.
Childhood obesity is one of the most serious health challenges in the developing countries and needs to be understood and tackled effectively.
‘Family-centered lifestyle modifications to encourage healthy diet and activity remain the central approach to preventing and treating obesity in children and teenagers.’
In addition to prevention and treatment, the guideline provides recommendations on how to evaluate affected children for medical or psychological complications, when to evaluate children for rare genetic causes of obesity and when to consider medications or surgery for the most severely affected older adolescents. Pediatric obesity is a pervasive international problem. In 2011-2014, 17% of American children and teenagers between the ages of 2 and 19 were affected by obesity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Obesity in this age group was associated with an estimated $14.1 billion in additional prescription drug, emergency room and outpatient medical visit costs each year, according to the Society's Endocrine Facts & Figures Report.
Mantra to Prevent Childhood Obesity � Vigorous Physical Activity
Being physically very active is the mantra to prevent pediatric obesity rather than concentrating efforts at restricting energy consumption.
Being physically very active is the mantra to prevent pediatric obesity rather than concentrating efforts at restricting energy consumption.
Obesity occurs when a child or teen's BMI is greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for their age and sex. A child or teen is diagnosed with extreme obesity when the BMI is greater than or equal to 120 percent of the 95th percentile.
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Obesity - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Complications, Treatment
Obesity is a condition where there is excess accumulation of body fat which poses a risk to the health of the individual. It can affect children and adults.
Obesity is a condition where there is excess accumulation of body fat which poses a risk to the health of the individual. It can affect children and adults.
Since the Society last issued a pediatric obesity guideline in 2008, physicians have access to new information on genetic causes of obesity, psychological complications associated with obesity, surgical techniques and medications that are now available for the most severely affected older teenagers. The guideline offers information on incorporating these developments into patient care.
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Malnutrition to Obesity - The Big Leap
Obesity is the root cause of problems like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and gall bladder disease. A serious look at our strategies is needed to tackle this fast growing epidemic.
Obesity is the root cause of problems like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and gall bladder disease. A serious look at our strategies is needed to tackle this fast growing epidemic.
- Children or teens with a BMI greater than or equal to the 85th percentile should be evaluated for related conditions such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
- Youth being evaluated for obesity do not need to have their fasting insulin values measured because it has no diagnostic value.
- Children or teens affected by obesity do not need routine laboratory evaluations for endocrine disorders that can cause obesity unless their height or growth rate is less than expected based on age and pubertal stage.
- About 7 percent of children with extreme obesity may have rare chromosomal abnormalities or genetic mutations. The guideline suggests specific genetic testing when there is early onset obesity (before 5 years old), an increased drive to consume food known as extreme hyperphagia, other clinical findings of genetic obesity syndromes, or a family history of extreme obesity.
Reference
- Endocrine Society experts issue clinical practice guideline on pediatric obesity, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (2017) http://dx.doi.org/10.1210/jc.2016-2573.
Source-Medindia
