Genetic Causes Of Childhood Obesity

How do genes affect child obesity?
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Childhood obesity may result from genetic as genes affect a huge number of weight-related chemical processes in the body. Metabolic rate, blood glucose metabolism, fat-storage, hormones to name but a few, are all influenced by our genetic inheritance. Obesity in children may be caused by certain genetic characteristics, particularly in conjunction with contributing environmental and behavioral factors such as a high-calorie food supply (see childhood obesity & food) and minimal bodily activity, indirectly influencing the child's energy imbalance.

Genetic factors alone can play a role in specific cases of child obesity. For example, rare genetic disorders such as Prader-Willi syndrome and hormonal disorder like Cushing's syndrome, affect a very small proportion of children. Heredity has recently been shown to control fatness, regional fat distribution, and reaction to overfeeding .The risk of becoming obese has been found in children of obese parents or from a family of obese people; he or she may be genetically inclined to put on over weight. The children with certain genes end up storing the fat more easily than other children. There is not much that these children can do about their genes, but there are steps that they can take to conquer the obesity. So they require special attention to determine what a correct diet for them avoiding unhygienic diets (see childhood obesity & diet).Reviewing, children and obesity with genetics in sedentary lifestyle due to technological advances has rapidly increased obesity in children.

► Infants born to obese mothers have been found to be less active and to gain more weight by age three months when compared with infants of normal weight mothers, suggesting a possible inborn drive to conserve energy. ► Also, some studies of adopted children indicate that adopted children tend to develop weight problems similar to their biological, rather than adoptive, parents.

Genes cannot account for surge in child obesity
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However, the rate of childhood obesity in the general population in recent years have rised rapidly and cannot be attributed solely to heredity.Lack of bodily activities (see childhood obesity & physical activity) due to luxurious lifestyle boosts the problem specially when kids unable to play outdoor sports and perform regular exercises (see childhood obesity & exercise). One estimate says that heredity contributes between 5 and 25 percent of the risk for obesity. The genetic characteristics of the human population have not changed in the last three decades, but child obesity has tripled among school-aged children during that time. Approximately one in five children in the US between the ages of 6 and 17 is overweight. This is twice the rate it was, 30 years ago. By contrast, changes in genes and DNA only occur over thousands of centuries. The remaining risk is endorsed to environmental and behavioral factors. The interrelationship between genetics and the environment is clear: Parents (see childhood obesity & parents) provide genes, role models, and food.Further research on the factors responsible for the pathogenesis of obesity in children is necessary to identify more sensitive targets for the effective prevention (see childhood obesity prevention) and treatment of child obesity (see childhood obesity treatment).

Parents, especially of those whose children are at risk for obesity at a young age, should promote healthy food over fast foods (see childhood obesity fast food) and lifestyle choices early in their development. Our gene can not be changed. We can do some small changes in other areas that can make a great deal in child obesity prevention. Some small changes, such as walking to school, playing outdoor games rather than letting children stay at home and avoid exercise. The simple and regular exercise also can help your children avoid effects of obesity in children (see childhood obesity effects).

Tips for parents ► What can you do as a parent or guardian or caregiver to help preventing childhood obesity? We have some ideas in our Childhood Obesity Prevention section.

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