Not only are overweight and obese children at risk for serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol - all once considered exclusively adult issues - they're also prone to low self-esteem that stems from being teased, bullied, or rejected by peers. Overweight children are often the last to be chosen as playmates, even as early as preschool. They may also be more likely than average-weight children to develop unhealthy dieting habits and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, and they may be more prone to depression, as well as substance abuse.

Being overweight or obese can be associated with medical conditions that affect a child's present and future health and have direct impact on quality of life:

*trouble with bones and joints

*hortness of breath that makes exercise, sports, or any physical activity more difficult and may aggravate the symptoms or increase the chances of

*developing asthma

*restless or disordered sleep patterns

*tendency to mature earlier (overweight kids may be taller and more sexually mature than their peers; overweight girls may enter puberty earlier, have irregular menstrual cycles, excessive body hair growth, and may experience potential fertility problems in adulthood)

*the presence of risk factors such as hypertension, lipid problems, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes, which can lead to the early development of cardiovascular disease

*liver problems

*depression

Serious adult medical conditions like heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and certain cancers can have their roots in childhood. Preventing or treating obesity in children may reduce the risk of developing these conditions as they get older.

Reviewed by: Sandra G. Hassink, MD
Date reviewed: July 2003