BEWARE!: Fat babies at risk of adult diseases

AN OBESE BABY WITH MUM

Most mothers in Nigeria would prefer their children to be plump, robust and chubby. This is believed to be an “evidence of good living” and a clear sign that the child is feeding well. Recent studies however contradict this popular belief. Like in adults, medical experts say obesity in children has been established as a leading cause of cardio-vascular disease, metabolic disease, musculoskeletal disorders, other chronic diseases, some cancers and an overall higher chance of premature death and disability in the latter part of their lives.
In addition to the physical consequences, excess fat in childhood has been associated with a range of other negative outcomes including poor psychological and educational outcomes as well as so-cial inequalities. Thus the dotting Nigerian mothers may unwittingly not only be programming their infants for obesity but also exposing them to serious health risks later in life.
For instance, recent research results reveal that rising levels of overweight and obesity in children are already hav-ing negative effects on their health and quality of life. This may however not be unconnected with why more kids are developing conditions and diseases typically associated with adults. Some of the ‘adult diseases’ which are fast becoming a norm in children as a result of their being obese include:
Diabetes. Type 2 diabetes used to be called “adult-onset diabetes”. Unfortunately, the current rise in childhood obesity has been linked to a dramatic rise in the number of children suffering from type 2 diabetes.
Heart trouble at middle age. Medical experts have said that if current trends continue, adolescents with type 2 diabetes may experience heart troubles even at the young of 30 or 40.
Increased risk of heart failure. Cardiologists have also said that being overweight or out of shape make the heart work hard-er. Hence, overweight children are more likely to grow up to be overweight adults and more likely to develop heart problems.
Chronic medical conditions. Like in adults, researchers and medical experts have associated obesity in children with more chronic medical conditions than smoking or excessive drinking. These include:
• Digestive problems: One in four obese children may have digestive troubles such as constipation.
• Higher risk of asthma: There may be a link between the rise in childhood obesity and the rise in childhood asthma. Chest physicians say extra weight could make breathing harder and can inflame the respiratory tract. This also applies to obese children as they are more likely to be asthmatic.
• Obese and overweight children are at risk for a lesser quality of life as they often suffer from serious emotional and behav-ioral problems. Medical experts however say severely obese children may have a similar health-related quality of life as children who have been diagnosed with cancer.
• Emotional impact: Overweight and obese children often suffer from low self-esteem, experience bullying, teasing from fellow children which consequently leads to depression.
Unfortunately, so many children in Nigeria are currently being programmed from the womb to become obese adults and bear the consequences later in life. According to Prof. Philip Abiodun, a professor of Paediatrics and Consultant in Child Health, University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria, so many mothers in the country are guilty of this. While speaking about the growing trend recently, he stated that many women in the country out of ignorance, give too much protein, especially synthesized proteins to infants hence, making them grow faster than when fed with breast milk.
He explained that many mothers prefer giving much milk (cow milk) to their children when in actual fact the protein content of cow milk from which infant milk formula is made, is not just different in quantity, but quality when compared with breast milk.
Researches so far indicate that there are more of whey proteins in human (breast) milk while there is casein in cow milk that causes fat cells to be built and stored. The whey proteins contain essential amino ac-ids that are easily digested and absorbed by the body, while the other only helps to make its consumer bloat up.
To the Consultant in child health, chil-dren who are exposed to such synthesized proteins grow too fast, hence, are more likely to become overweight as well as obese when they become adolescents and adults later in life.
He did not end there. He further disclosed that such children are likely to witness changes in their body fat content which would subsequently lead to diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke.
Surprisingly, even babies in the womb could be programmed to become obese adults later in life. This can occur when a pregnant woman does not eat at the appropriate time as well as take in sufficient quantity and quality food. Babies in such women, Dr. Abiodun explained, learn to store food even while in the womb!
Consequently, when they are born, they end up having low birth weight thus require extra rations of food. Unfortunately, these children are often overfed with protein, and since they have been used to storing food, they continue the act, and get fatter and fatter.
Sadly, scientists have warned that except mothers take drastic actions in watching what children consume, as well as help them maintain healthy body weights, childhood obesity would become a problem in Nigeria like it is in other climes. “Should this happen, they are likely going to have shorter life spans than their parent” Abiodun added.