If you have, or know someone who has, an overweight child under the age of five, it might be wise to share this article with them. The result of this study shows that obese teenagers actually gain their increase in body fat before the age of five, not during their school years as previously thought. Some highlights:
Compared to children in the 1980s, today’s youngsters are fatter and most of their excess weight gain happens before school age, they will say. This suggests initiatives to prevent childhood obesity should be started before school, suggest the authors.
One in four children aged four to five in England are overweight, latest figures show. Before an obese girl reaches school age she will have already gained 90% of her excess weight, and boys will have gained 70% of their excess weight.
Lead researcher Professor Terry Wilkin, of the Peninsula Medical School, Plymouth, said: “When they reach the age of five the die seems to be cast, at least until the age of puberty. “What is causing it is very difficult to know.” He said there must be a factor now that was not there 25 years ago which is making today’s children obese. And, given the young age, this is likely to be in a child’s home rather than school environment and linked to upbringing rather than schooling.
Read the full article here:
Obesity set before age of five
Story from BBC NEWS:
