Childhood Obesity and Future Cardiac Risk: What Should Physicians Be Looking For?

Obesity increases the risk for future health problems, including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain forms of cancer, orthopedic issues, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, depression and psychosocial issues. Prevention and screening children should begin in infancy with parental education on the importance of healthy eating habits and daily physical activity. Early detection of at-risk behaviors, family risk factors and trends towards obesity should be assessed at every healthy-child visit by plotting height and weight in infants and toddlers and measuring BMI, starting at 2 years of age. Blood pressure monitoring should be a routine part of the physical examination in children over the age of 3 years. At-risk children with a BMI over the 85th percentile or with high-risk family histories should be screened for the potential health problems associated with childhood obesity. Early intervention and treatment using a staged approach with family involvement is important. Close monitoring with frequent follow-up visits increase the potential for successful intervention.