New Health Risk for Obese Children
Maureen Jonas By Maureen Jonas
Posted Oct 24, 2006
By making diet and exercise an integral part of a family's life,
each and every one can do his or her part to control the spread of
obesity and the diseases that are directly connected to the problem.
The obesity problem in our country has spawned a host of diseases
that are rapidly on the rise, particularly among children.
New research from the University of California at San Diego
suggests that as many as 6.5 million American children could have a
condition called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
NAFLD is an accumulation of fat in the liver cells, and in some
instances can lead to dangerous complications such as cirrhosis of
the liver, liver cancer and end-stage liver disease requiring a
transplant.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 16 percent of
children ages 6 to 19 years old are overweight or obese, a number
that has tripled since 1980.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that
overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming
overweight or obese adults.
With over 28 percent of men and 35 percent of women in the United
States considered obese, America is facing a crisis: a rise in non-
alcoholic fatty liver disease that is directly connected to obesity
in children and adults.
In Massachusetts alone, the Harvard School of Public Health
estimates that 27 percent of the population is overweight.
Fatty liver joins the plethora of other obesity-related diseases -
high blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease and diabetes.
It is normal for a person's liver to contain some fat, but if
that fat accounts for more than 5 percent to 10 percent of the
liver's weight, then fatty liver is present and serious
complications may develop. A patient with fatty liver disease
usually does not know he or she has the condition until the problem
has become very advanced.
Unfortunately, fatty liver produces little or no symptoms of its
own. The liver is a tough organ; it can be inflamed for years, even
decades, before it begins to show signs of disease. People often
learn they have the disease when they have medical tests for other
reasons.
The number of young patients with fatty liver disease has grown
rapidly over the last decade and the number of referrals for
children with liver disease related to obesity has increased
exponentially.
In my own experience, several new children are identified each
week with liver disease of varying severity. Some of the children
already have a lot of scarring in their livers, which is called
cirrhosis.
Currently, there are no proven medical or surgical treatments for
the disease, although studies of medications are under way. But
there are a number of steps that people with the disease should take
to lower the level of fat in their liver. These include losing
weight, eating a healthy diet, increasing their physical activity,
lowering their triglycerides and getting regular checkups from a
doctor who specializes in liver care.
America's health is being damaged by the increase in obesity. We
must start educating our children about the importance of healthy
eating. Education begins at home. By making diet and exercise an
integral part of a family's life, each and every one can do his or
her part to control the spread of obesity and the diseases that are
directly connected to the problem.
Even if you do not have weight to lose, teaching your children
healthy eating habits could save them from a number of health
problems in the future.
And by all means if you currently suffer from other obesity-
related diseases, consult with your doctor about fatty liver
disease.
Dr. Maureen Jonas is an associate in gastroenterology and medical
director of the Liver Transplant Program at Children's Hospital
Boston, and chairperson of the Medical Advisory Board of the
American Liver Foundation New England Chapter. As You Were Saying is
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Date: Oct 23, 2006
© 2006 Boston Herald. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
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