obesity worry

So why all this worry about childhood obesity you ask?

Well... First, childhood obesity is epidemic in the year 2011.  Some estimates place the US rate of childhood obesity as high as 1 in three children.  Suych rates pose a multitude of problems for these young children.

 Unmitigated this will increase the risks of childhood type II diabetes.  People with type II diabetes onset before 16 years of age, die on average 20 years younger than nondiabetics.  In other words, those children typically die at 58 years of age instead of 78 years of age (the current US life expectancy).  Common causes of death for diabetics include kidney failure, heart attack and stroke.  Imagine being on dialysis at age 35...

Untreated childhood obesity also results in high blood pressure.  This also attacks the brain, kidneys and heart resulting in a double whammy for these organ systems.

Finally childhood obesity increases the risks of fatty deposition into the liver.  This is called NonAlcoholic SteatoHepatitis or NASH.  Nash destroys the liver in the same way that long term heavy alcohol use does.  These children can go on to require liver transplants just like old alcoholics do, not a pretty way to die, and completely preventable.

I hope that this has been enlightening.

Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
(775) 359-7111
975 Roberta Lane, suite 101 B, Sparks, NV 89431
www.facebook.com/sparkspeds.nv

The "Meningitis vaccine"

Please have your children vaccinated against Niseria Meningiditis aka meningococcus.  I recently met Rayna DuBose.  She is an amazing girl who almost died from the disease.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKg05gesGi4  but realize that her disease could have been prevented.  Please listen to her message.  The vaccine has no serious risks but the disease kills one out of 5 affected individuals and the rest are left like Rayna.

Kevin M. Windisch MD, FAAP
Sparks Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine
(775) 359-7111
975 Roberta Lane, suite 101 B, Sparks, NV 89431.
www.facebook.com/sparkspeds.nv