Journal of Obesity & Weight Loss Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

Childhood obesity is a major public health crisis nationally and internationally. The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased since few years in all pediatric age group in both sexes. Approximately 22 million children below 5 years of age overweight across the world. The number of overweight children and adolescents has doubled in last 2 to 3 decades in the world. World Health Organization on childhood obesity found that 41 million children below 5 years of age either obese or overweight as of 2014. However more than 90% of cases are idiopathic and less than 10% are associated with hormonal or genetic causes. The idiopathic mainly caused by imbalance between calorie intake and calories utilized. High calorie density and fat content of modern diet and lack of physical activity is associated with increased risk of obesity. Physical, psychological and social health problems are caused due to child health obesity. Comorbidities associated with obesity and overweight are similar in children as in adult population elevated blood pressure, dyslipidemia and high prevalence insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes appear as frequent complication in the overweight and obese pediatric population. Approaches in the prevention and treatment of childhood overweight and obesity are urgently required including first healthy diet and physical activity, when lifestyle modification is insufficient to reach weight loss and complication of obesity affect child health, pharmacotherapy is recommended if age more than 10 years. Bariatric surgery is reserved for carefully selected sub group of young children with obesity related co-morbid condition threaten the child health where lifestyle and medication have been evaluated but found not to be effective.

Biography

Horia Al Mawlawi has completed her Graduation and Post-graduation from King Abdulaziz University. She is currently working in Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Jeddah as an Instructor.