More and more children are suffering from obesity

More children with obesity: often lifelong health impairments
Over the past 40 years, the number of extremely overweight children and adolescents has increased more than tenfold. In 1975, 5 million girls were still obese, compared to 50 million in 2016. The number of boys rose from 6 to 74 million, according to a study led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Imperial College London. The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) was also involved in the investigations.

Obesity already in childhood with long-term consequences. Image: kwanchaichaiudom - fotolia

The scientists had evaluated the body measures of almost 130 million people in 200 countries, of which 32 million were 5 to 19 years old. They determined the body mass index (BMI) and compared the values ​​for the years 1975 to 2016. The BMI is a common measure for assessing body weight and gives the ratio of weight (in kg) to height (in m squared). In children and adolescents, the normal body fat percentage changes constantly, depending on age and gender. Using standard curves, it is possible to see how the weight is to be classified.

In 1975, a total of 11 million children and adolescents (1%) suffered from severe obesity. In 2016, 124 million people were already identified (7%). Another 213 million were overweight without reaching the limits of obesity. In low- and middle-income countries, especially in Asia, this trend is continuing. In countries with a higher average income, the values ​​seem to settle at a much too high level, explain the physicians in the journal "The Lancet". In Europe too, children and adolescents have become increasingly fitter in recent decades.

Who brings too many pounds at a young age, is usually a heavyweight in adulthood. Therefore, it is particularly important to support the young people on their way to a healthy body weight and a better quality of life. "An extremely high BMI in childhood often leads to lifelong health problems, so the high rate of obesity and obesity today is a global health threat that threatens to worsen in the coming years, unless we dramatically counteract it." summarizes Rudolf Kaaks, co-author of the study by the DKFZ.
Heike Kreutz, www.bzfe.de