Services on Demand
Journal
Article
Indicators
- Cited by SciELO
Related links
- Similars in SciELO
Share
Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Publica
Print version ISSN 1726-4634
Abstract
LIRIA, Reyna. Consequences of obesity in children and teenagers: a problem that requires attention. Rev. perú. med. exp. salud publica [online]. 2012, vol.29, n.3, pp.357-360. ISSN 1726-4634.
Obesity is a worldwide pandemic and children are a vulnerable group. In America, it was estimated that in 2010, 15.2% of 18 year-old children could suffer from this. Obesity in children and teenagers has a negative impact on health and on the load of diseases at this stage of life, and later on in adulthood, having a negative impact on the economy of a country due to the rise of risks of chronic diseases, health expenses and indirect costs as a result of the disease. Peru is going through an epidemiological transition, with unsolved malnutrition problems and high child obesity rates (10% of children under five), thus being one of the countries with a higher increase of child obesity in recent years in Latin America. Childhood and adolescence are considered critical periods because eating habits and physical activity start at this point; and because most obese children and teenagers will maintain those habits until they reach adulthood. For this reason, it is essential to seek strategies and interventions that prevent overweight and obesity among children and teenagers in order to improve the health conditions of a country
Keywords : Overweight; Obesity; Child; Adolescent; Causality; Impacts on health.