Rising Concern: Study Sheds Light on The Growing Epidemic of Childhood Overweight and Obesity
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Since 1990, the rise in childhood overweight and obesity has surged across every continent, almost doubling in prevalence. Globally, Asia has nearly half of all overweight children under the age of 5. The deleterious consequences of this epidemic are already evident: childhood hypertension, and type 2 diabetes, among others. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine and colleagues sound the alarm and discuss both challenges and potential solutions in a commentary published in The Maternal and Child Health Journal.
“Pediatric overweight and obesity have reached epidemic levels in the U.S. and are becoming a pandemic globally. These conditions lead to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and lipid disorders, which contribute to metabolic syndrome. In adults, these issues significantly increase the risks of heart attacks, stroke, liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, arthritis and certain cancers – many of which are now occurring at younger ages,” said Charles H. Hennekens, M.D., first author and the first Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and Preventive Medicine, FAU Schmidt College of Medicine. “Through coordinated clinical and public health efforts, we can address these troubling trends and work toward a healthier future for children and families globally.”
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