Page 62 - Harnett Life Winter 2022

CHILDHOOD OBESITY

By Dr. Damon C. Blackley, DC

The holiday season is here, and my kids could not be happier beled as overweight or obese. The first step is to determine the
about it. They love the festivities of this time of year, the time child’s body mass index or BMI. This is a number calculated
spent with family, and of course all of the delicious foods that from the child’s height and weight. This can then be plotted on
come along with it. There are always tasty treats for the kids the Centers for Disease Control BMI-for-age growth charts for
around this time of year with large family meals and gifts of boys or girls to obtain a percentile rank. This ranking is where
pies, cakes and candies. However, while these things all taste the child’s BMI falls in respect to other children of the same
great, they can lead to problems if they are not enjoyed in mod- age and gender. A percentile rank in the 85th to 95th percentile
eration. is considered overweight, with a score at or above the 95th
percentile being obese.
Childhood obesity is a huge problem in our society that needs
to be addressed. The World Health Organization calls child- As with any health related concern it is best to consult your
hood obesity “one of the most serious public health challenges doctor if you have any concerns. There are several other factors
of the 21st century”. Worldwide an estimated 42 million chil- that can affect BMI and cause the percentile rank to be higher
dren under the age of five are overweight. In the US alone one or lower than expected. These can include extremes in height,
third of children and adolescents (approximately 25 million) muscularity, and several other things. Your doctor can also tell
are overweight or obese. Childhood obesity can lead to mul- you about the different stages of growth a child goes through
tiple long term health problem such as diabetes, high blood when they may carry a bit of excess fat around.
pressure, high cholesterol, poor self-esteem and depression to
name a few. The good news is that it is a problem that is both The most important thing we can do as adults to change
preventable and reversible. this problem is to lead by example. We should all be eating
a healthy diet and exercising, especially those with children
Let us first start by defining what constitutes a child being la- around. Stay away from processed foods. Eat more fruits,

Page 62 Harnett Life ~ Winter 2022