Nutritionist James McKillop discusses childhood obesity

The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. The prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.

Obesity is the result of caloric imbalance -too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed- and is mediated by genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.Childhood obesity has both immediate and long-term health impacts. After some time the overweight child may experience elevated blood lipids, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and other problems. The risk of an elevated blood cholesterol level is greatest among children with body weights above the 90th percentile. Overweight kids are on a fast track to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, diseases that we usually associate with middle-aged adults.

"The nutritional composition of children’s diets as well as the number of calories consumed are of interest to determine the effect of food consumption on childhood obesity," said James McKillop, nutritionist.

The problems stem from lack of physical activity and intake of too many calories. Watching television, using the computer, and playing video games occupy a large percentage of children’s leisure time, influencing their physical activity levels. It is estimated that children in the United States are spending 25 percent of their waking hours watching television and statistically, children who watch the most hours of television have the highest incidence of obesity.