FACTORS INFLUENCING CHILDREN OBESITY WORLWIDE

Childhood obesity as a major health epidemic has increased dramatically in both

the developed and the developing world. International news usually shows
innumerable cases about this global issue and The World Health Organization
(WHO) has raised the alarm over obesity rates, because the report of its
Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity (2016) shows that “an estimated 41
million children under 5 years old are either obese or overweight as of 2014, and
the epidemic is hitting developing nations especially hard [1]”. The main causes of
childhood obesity are divided in behavioral causes: lack of physical activity and
unhealthy diet, and genetic causes.

Children with poor physical fitness are a regular scenario in schools around the
world. In the past, physical activity had traditional been an important part of
child’s life. However, sedentary lifestyle is a common family’s behavior pattern
currently, which is transmitted from parents to children in many cases. In
addition, new technologies and electronic base activities have produced an
increase in the level of children with obesity in many countries, because they
spend more time sitting in front the computer or TV combined with an increase in
snacking. The low level of physical exercise is an important origin of child obesity
everywhere.

Unhealthy eating patterns have been considered the second most important
cause of childhood obesity. Children can’t eat very well when they have suffered a
dysfunctional family situation, as a divorce, single parent or foster care. The
emotional load of these familiar issues together with poor eating habits from
parents and relatives may affect the children directly. “Family history,
psychological factors, and lifestyle all play a role in childhood obesity [2]”.
Besides, poverty is the last but no least cause about unhealthy diets, because
children eat junk food instead of healthy food due to its low cost. Foods rich in
fats and poor in proteins, vitamins and minerals are the main cause of overweight
children.

Genetic plays an important role in obesity, because it can be a disease resulting

from the interactions of hereditary and environmental factors. Some scientists
believe that genetic load of predecessors plays a critical role in children obesity.
When a father or mother is obese, there is a high probability that they have the
same body type. “Animal studies show that food intake, metabolic rate, and
physical activity have genetic components [3]”. The genetic load can be the
complementary factor of the behavioral role.

In conclusion, the amount of overweight children in the total population

worldwide can be caused by behavioral and genetic factors, and The WHO knows
that behavioral causes can be modified faster than genetics. In consequence, the
medical society should have the main priority of developing personalized
prevention and treatment strategies against childhood obesity in every, village,
town or city.

ELIEZER JIMENEZ.
REFERENCES

[1] REPORT OF THE COMISSION ON ENDING CHILHOOD OBESITY (2016).

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. INTRODUCTION. PAGE 2. LINK:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204176/1/9789241510066_eng.pdf
?ua=1

[2] CHILHOOD OBESITY (2016). ERICA ROTH. HEALTHLINE. LINK:

http://www.healthline.com/health/weight-loss/weight-problems-in-
children#Overview1

[3] HANDBOOK OF PEDIATRIC NUTRITION. SECOND EDITION (1999). PATRICIA

QUEEN SAMOUR. KATHY KING HELM. CAROL E. LANG. JONES AND BARTLETT
PUBLISHERS. PAGE 174. LINK: https://books.google.ca/books?id=1j_Tn-
iXbMwC&pg=PA180&lpg=PA180&dq=obesity+dysfunctional+family&source=bl
&ots=RjN5UqMddU&sig=6rDbRZbPio5Fh-
ekENpkc3ILND0&hl=en&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjsyebD69_SAhUKz2MKHd
obBJYQ6AEIPDAI#v=onepage&q=obesity%20dysfunctional%20family&f=false