The Devastating Effects of Childhood Obesity

In recent decades, childhood obesity is spreading like an epidemic in developed and developing countries. The effects of childhood obesity are extensive and profound on almost all aspects of a child's wellbeing. A child suffering from obesity or overweight problem may experience severe health complications in association with psychological and emotional hazards. This article focuses on the effects of childhood obesity in children's life in general.

Health Complaints

Childhood obesity may affect a child's health in many different ways. The effects of childhood obesity on a child's health can be fatal. In fact, childhood obesity can show a relationship with other critical health complications such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type II diabetes, cardiac complications, stroke, arthritis, early blockage of arteries and premature death.

When a child becomes obese, the blood pressure raises. High blood pressure eventually causes the heart to function faster than normal and results in producing excess blood circulation to the fat tissues in the body, leading to an excess pressure over the artery walls. So being obese makes a child more vulnerable towards having increased heart beat, eventually reducing body's ability to transport blood to the vessels.

Heart complaint is typically common among obese children. In fact, this is one of the most common effects of childhood obesity. The heart complications mainly occur due to the hardening of arteries. This significantly reduces the blood flow to the heart itself, leading to heart attack. Type II diabetes formation is one of the significant effects of childhood obesity. This is a frightening condition and may result in mortality.

Sleep apnea is another complication and it is one of the most inevitable effects of childhood obesity. The victims of this disorder suddenly stop breathing while they are sleeping. In fact, the potential effects of childhood obesity are simply countless. Obese children may experience difficulties while performing simplest tasks such as walking or climbing stairs.

Psychological and Emotional Complaints

The effects of childhood obesity are so profound in a child that it may cause the child to experience a total psychological and emotional bankruptcy. They experience intense emotional tantrum due to their perceived body image. According to societal perspective, being slim is more preferred than to have an overweight figure. This causes the obese children to experience an intense sense of insecurity, hopelessness, frustration, inferiority complex, depression and a low self esteem. The obese children may suffer from discrimination and social isolation, which can eventually affect their academic performance as well.

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