Abstract

The purpose of this study is to provide a database on the treatment and prevention of adult diseases related to childhood obesity, which has been growing as a social problem. Childhood obesity is caused majority by hereditary, environmental and psychological factors. Hereditarily, there are various factors which play a role. Environmentally, limited eating habits and food intake patterns with decrease in physical activities even with the abundance of variety of food types have been the major factors which lead to childhood obesity. And psychologically, factors such as sentimentality contribute to obesity in childhood even more so than adulthood which effect the childhood character formation. With the increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity, adult diseases such as diabetes, fatty liver, hypertension and hyperlipidemia have been more evident. For treatment and prevention, nutritional control and exercise programs including behavior modification should be continuously applied with the help of scientific and professional nutritional therapy and weight control programs. In conclusion, it is indispensable that weight should be managed by a mutually formed health management team comprised of such medical professionals as a psychologist, nurse, pediatrician, dietician, and a physical activity director. In recommendation, school lunch programs should include nutrition management of diet control, nutrition education and a variety of exercise programs, which induce energy expenditure.

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