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One More Reason to Keep Kids Fit |
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New Study Shows Childhood Obesity Stunts Growth
 Historically, chubby babies and children were considered healthy because as they were more likely to survive infections or disease. However, times have changed and it couldn’t be further from the truth for today’s children whose excess weight can impact their future health.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that children carrying excess weight have trouble growing because their extra pounds put pressure on their bones. This weight strains the bones and cartilage, which can result in bone abnormalities, including:
- Bowlegs (when the legs appears to curve outward at the knees)
- Scoliosis (a sideways curvature of the spine)
- Pain and limited range of motion in the hips
The study researched 115 women ages 18 and 19 with normal (less than 32 percent) and high (greater than 32 percent) body fat. “Obesity is an epidemic in this country, and I think this study is critical because it highlights another potential negative health effects that people haven’t considered,” says study co-author Richard D. Lewis, professor of foods and nutrition at the University of Georgia, College of Family and Consumer Sciences.
After adjusting for differences in muscle mass surrounding the bone, the researchers found that the bones of participants with high body fat were 8 to 9 percent weaker than those of participants with normal body fat. The women the researchers studied were at an age when the bones have stopped growing, but before age-related degeneration begins. Lewis says future studies using three-dimensional bone imaging should follow children with normal and high levels of body fat through time to see how their skeletons grow. Other researchers have documented increased fractures in overweight children, suggesting that childhood obesity may be particularly detrimental to bone health.
“When you’re young, you have the capacity to change the shape of your bones, but when you get older, you don’t have that capacity.” Lewis says. “And because of that, childhood obesity could have a significant, long-lasting negative impact on the skeleton.” |
