Childhood obesity is ‘a disaster waiting to happen,’ says local doctor

By 2060, type 2 diabetes diagnoses could increase by nearly 70% and type 1 diabetes diagnoses by 3%, even if the rate of new diabetes diagnoses among young people stays the same for decades. Center for Disease Control. last year, CDC said analysis of data Between 2001 and 2017, the number of people under 20 with type 1 diabetes increased by 45%, and the number of people with type 2 diabetes increased by 95%.

“This new study should be a wake-up call for all of us. It’s important that all Americans, especially young people, strive to be as healthy as possible,” said Debra, CDC’s acting chief deputy director. Dr. Houry said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how important it is to address chronic diseases such as diabetes.”

In addition to overall projections, analysis of these data by race and ethnicity suggests that the burden of type 2 diabetes among Black, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Native American/Alaska Native adolescents is I expected high.

Childhood Obesity in Ohio

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity, along with predisposition to diabetes, is one of the reasons why diabetes is projected to rise among young people. According to the CDC, maternal diabetes increases the risk of diabetes in children.

According to different data sets, Ohio’s childhood obesity rate is 16-18%. 2019-2020 National Child Health Survey and 2019 data Youth Risk Behavior Monitoring System.

“We saw a solid increase, especially during the 2020-2021 referral period,” said Melissa King, Ph.D., pediatrician and program director of the Healthy Me Clinic at Children’s Hospital Dayton. “It appears to have been tampered with.”

King said getting kids back to school will increase their physical activity and encourage them to eat on schedule.

risk factors for children

Doctors say many factors contribute to childhood obesity. Genetics and lifestyle factors are some of the first factors that come to mind, but societal decisions about health, such as poverty, how some cities are laid out, access to safe parks, and access to grocery stores. The factor is an additional societal problem that doctors say contributes to childhood obesity.

“Access to good, healthy food is a social issue,” Williams said. People living in food deserts, commonly defined as areas where it is difficult to find fresh, affordable produce, may have to rely on fast food and convenience stores for food. While it’s still good to have food sources in the area, Williams said the available food can be high in calories and low in nutrients.

According to King, about 30% of patients seen at the Healthy Me clinic are identified as food insecure.

“Sometimes (food insecurity) doesn’t mean food shortages,” said King. “In some cases, this means a shortage of unprocessed, non-shelf-stable, high-calorie but low-nutrition foods.”

To help bring groceries to the food desert, Williams said, communities should promote more groceries like Gem City Market, a full-service grocery store and deli on the Salem Avenue corridor. said it should.

According to Dr. King, family predisposition and genetics play a large role in predisposing children to childhood obesity.

“Children who have obese parents, or who have obese parents, are at higher risk by the time they reach their teens,” King said.

In addition, the environment is also a big factor. King said access to safe neighborhoods, safe parks and affordable sports is important for children. How some cities are laid out can also be a factor if individuals rely more on transportation than walking through the city.

“The problems we face here in Dayton are different from the problems they face in California or Florida or even New York,” King said. “For the most part, we are not a walkable community. Some parts of our community are walkable, but for the most part we rely on transportation that is two feet outside of us. As a result, overall physical activity has decreased.”

Children may have other underlying medical conditions or medications that may affect their appetite, making it difficult to know when to trust hunger cues, King said.

How to promote a healthy lifestyle

Families and loved ones promote healthy lifestyles for their children by setting a good example, eating as a family, and taking small steps towards a balanced diet and low-sugar drinks. It helps to

Adults in the family can make physical activity and exercise the norm in the family, according to King, and even take five to 10 minute walks, hikes, or participate in sports several times a week.

“Something that promotes physical activity as a family,” said King.

According to King, research results are mixed on the impact of family mealtimes, but there are benefits for parents to connect with their children, model behavior and good eating habits, and give them time to eat without distractions. King also noted that he has learned about recommended portions. Doctors also advised children to avoid soda pop and sugary drinks.

Reducing stigma and social judgments about weight can also have an impact, King said, adding that weight is complicated.

“Overweight and obesity are really multifactorial and we feel like we’re doing a lot of shame and making it look like a moral failure.” We do a lot of negative behavior identification.” She gave examples of how eating pastries can be perceived as “bad,” but said it’s a balancing act.

“Are you physically active… are you eating fruits and vegetables in your diet?” King adds that taking small steps can help build habits like physical activity and eating vegetables. rice field. “It’s very complicated…it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”