Children's Health Research

Overweight and Obesity in children and per-adolescents
Official  rates  for  childhood  obesity  in Australia are now amongst the highest
in developed  nations  with  25%   of  Australian  children  currently   considered
overweight or obese. This is a 500% increase compared to 5% in the 1960’s.

t is estimated that childhood obesity is rising at such a rate, that over half of young Australians will be overweight or obese by 2025.

The causes of children being overweight and obese are generally a lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits, or a combination of both.  Although genetics does play an important role in determining a child’s weight, it is considered that environmental changes such as technological, social and economic changes have reduced physical activity and increased access to food, especially high fat and high energy foods.

Overweight children are 50% more likely to become overweight adults, and children with overweight adults, and children with overweight parents have twice the risk of becoming overweight as those with parents who fall into the healthy weight category.

General Suggestions
Overweight and obese children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents, friends and wider support group.

1. Parents should focus on their child’s health and not the child’s weight
2. Overweight and obese children should not be made to feel guilty.  Gradual changes in physical activity and eating habits should be the main focus rather then the child’s weight.

What can be done about Childhood Obesity?
A healthy weight can be achieved and maintained by balancing the energy intake going into your child’s body in the form of food and drink, and the energy being used by your child in the form of physical activity, brain activity and growth.

To reduce being overweight the energy intake going into your child’s body must be less than the energy being used, however this should be a gradual process with the health of the child bring uppermost in mind.

An increase in physical activity combined with a decrease in energy intake through improved eating habits is generally accepted as the best long term solution.