20^thGlobal Obesity Meeting

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is a condition where excess body fat has negative affects a child's health. Childhood obesity is troubling because the extra pounds often cause problems that were considered as adult problems — diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.Many obese children become obese adults, especially if their parents are obese. Childhood obesity can also lead to low self-esteem and depression. 

The causes behind the rising levels of childhood obesity are a shift in diet towards increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars but low in vitamins, proteins, minerals and other healthy micronutrients, and a trend towards decreased levels of physical activity.