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Due to the rising prevalence of obesity in children and its many adverse health effects it is being recognized as a serious public health concern. [1] The term overweight rather than obese is often used when discussing childhood obesity, as it is less stigmatizing, although the term overweight can also refer to a different BMI category. [2]
The 2000 CDC growth charts - a revised version of the 1977 NCHS growth charts - are the current standard tool for health care providers and offer 16 charts (8 for boys and 8 for girls), of which BMI-for-age is commonly used for aiding in the diagnoses of childhood obesity. [1]
Although being underweight has been reported to increase mortality at rates comparable to that seen in morbidly obese people, [24] the effect is much less drastic when restricted to non-smokers with no history of disease, [25] suggesting that smoking and disease-related weight loss are the leading causes of the observed effect.
The healthy BMI range varies with the age and sex of the child. Obesity in children and adolescents is defined as a BMI greater than the 95th percentile. [47] The reference data that these percentiles are based on is from 1963 to 1994 and thus has not been affected by the recent increases in rates of obesity. [48]
The healthy BMI range varies with the age and sex of the child. Obesity in children and adolescents is defined as a BMI greater than the 95th percentile. [277] The reference data that these percentiles are based on is from 1963 to 1994 and thus has not been affected by the recent increases in rates of obesity. [278]
It causes overweight, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more, and can lead to obesity (a BMI of 30 or more). [ 27 ] [ 2 ] Obesity has become a major health issue worldwide. [ 62 ] Overnutrition is linked to chronic non-communicable diseases like diabetes , certain cancers, and cardiovascular diseases .
Another estimate also by WHO states that childhood underweight is the cause for about 35% of all deaths of children under the age of five years worldwide. [6] According to a 2008 review, an estimated 178 million children under age 5 are stunted, most of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. [15]
The causes of childhood obesity can be based on both a combination of individual choices and socio-environmental adaptions [6] with genetic factors playing an important role also. Epigenetic modification is a primary cause in the obesity epidemic.