Prevention and Management of Childhood Obesity and Its Psychological and Health Comorbidities

Abstract

Childhood obesity has become a global pandemic in developed countries, leading to a host of medical conditions that contribute to increased morbidity and premature death. The causes of obesity in childhood and adolescence are complex and multifaceted, presenting researchers and clinicians with myriad challenges in preventing and managing the problem. This article reviews the state of the science for understanding the etiology of childhood obesity, the preventive interventions and treatment options for overweight and obesity, and the medical complications and co-occurring psychological conditions that result from excess adiposity, such as hypertension, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and depression. Interventions across the developmental span, varying risk levels, and service contexts (e.g.,community, school, home, health care systems) are reviewed. Future directions for research are offered with an emphasis on translational issues for taking evidence-based interventions to scale in a manner that will reduce the public health burden of the childhood obesity pandemic.

Global prevalence of obesity, overweight and underweight in children, adolescents and adults with autism spectrum disorder, attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…146 Obesity, a major global public health issue, is associated with a range of comorbidities. 147,148 The growing prevalence of obesity would bring adverse health outcomes in long-term to individuals with ASD and ADHD and cause additional cost of supporting a patient. Moreover, despite significant variations observed among existing literature reporting cost estimates of obesity, the total lifetime cost, including medical care and productivity losses, of an obese child was estimated to be around €150 000.…”

“…ASD and ADHD are lifespan neurodevelopmental disorders associated with considerable psychological burden and physical disability, which impair the quality of life 146 . Obesity, a major global public health issue, is associated with a range of comorbidities 147,148 . The growing prevalence of obesity would bring adverse health outcomes in long‐term to individuals with ASD and ADHD and cause additional cost of supporting a patient.…”

When Pandemics Collide: The Impact of COVID-19 on Childhood Obesity

“…The relationship between stress, mental health, and childhood obesity is complex (Small & Aplasca, 2016). Children experiencing obesity have a higher risk for depression (Smith et al, 2020) because of stigma and isolation. Children with overweight or obesity report more stress (Thaker et al, 2020) and eat in response to stress to a greater degree than normal weight peers (Miller et al, 2019).…”

Is There a Causal Relationship between Childhood Obesity and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia? A Review

“…These staggering figures are coupled with evidence that obesity management programs have modest success rates, and prevention remains the best cure [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. Managing and preventing obesity may help lower its cardiometabolic and psychological comorbidities that, at times, start during childhood and persist into adulthood [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”