OBESITY IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS

Course overview

OBESITY IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PEDIATRIC CHRONIC DISEASES. MANY GENETIC, PHYSIOLOGIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY. IT INCREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF ADULT OBESITY AND PLACES YOUTH AT RISK FOR SERIOUS SHORT- AND LONG-TERM ADVERSE HEALTH OUTCOMES AND COMORBIDITIES. CHILD OBESITY RATES IN THE UNITED STATES HAVE MORE THAN TRIPLED SINCE THE 1960S, AND PREVALENCE INCREASES WITH AGE. FAILURE TO PREVENT, DIAGNOSE, AND TREAT CHILDHOOD OBESITY RESULTS IN PEDIATRIC COMORBIDITIES THAT OFTEN CONTINUE INTO ADULTHOOD. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EPIDEMIOLOGY, ETIOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, EVALUATION, COMPLICATIONS, AND TREATMENT OF PEDIATRIC OBESITY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.