Prevención y tratamiento de la obesidad desde la niñez: la estrategia para disminuir las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles del adulto / Prevention and treatment of obesity since childhood: a strategy to decrease the prevalence of non transmissible chronic diseases in the adult

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of obesity among children and teenagers is increasing by 1.5 percent per year, probably due to a higher consumption of highly caloric foods and to physical inactivity. Hypercholesterolemia, increased insulin levels and high blood pressure of childhood obesity, precede atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, diabetes and hypertension in adulthood. The prevention of childhood obesity is an efficient strategy to decrease the prevalence of non transmissible chronic diseases in the adult. The recommendations of experts committees for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of childhood obesity are reviewed. They aim at a change in dietary habits and increasing physical activity. A well balanced healthy diet and a decrease in physical inactivity time will result in a successful treatment approach for obesity