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Prevention and Treatment of Obesity in Children

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Metabolic Syndrome

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Abstract

Pediatric obesity, defined in the USA as body mass index ≥95th percentile on the pediatric growth charts for age and sex, has been rising over the last several decades, currently affecting almost 20% of children and adolescents aged 2–19 years in the USA. Obesity is heritable, and both monogenic and polygenic obesity syndromes exist that should be considered if early onset obesity younger than age 5 years, hyperphagia, and/or dysmorphic features are present. Excess adiposity occurs when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure, due to poor nutrition or maladaptive eating behaviors, minimal physical activity, and high sedentary behavior. In children, numerous risk factors including the antenatal and postnatal environment, home and school environment, and social determinants of health contribute to the development of childhood obesity. Several comorbid conditions and complications occur with increased prevalence in the setting of childhood obesity, with many contributing to increased cardiometabolic risk. Pediatric obesity treatment should include intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment, early consideration of anti-obesity medications, and in some circumstances, bariatric surgery. Obesity prevention, early efforts to reduce excess adiposity, and management of obesity’s comorbidities and complications are essential to prevent cardiometabolic disease early in life.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Talia A. Hitt, Katie L. Wasserstein, Sara N. Malina & Sheela N. Magge

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  1. Talia A. Hitt
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  2. Katie L. Wasserstein
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  3. Sara N. Malina
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  4. Sheela N. Magge
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Correspondence to Talia A. Hitt or Sheela N. Magge .

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  1. Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA

    Rexford S. Ahima

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Hitt, T.A., Wasserstein, K.L., Malina, S.N., Magge, S.N. (2023). Prevention and Treatment of Obesity in Children. In: Ahima, R.S. (eds) Metabolic Syndrome. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12125-3_51-1

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