How can we prevent overweight and obesity in children?
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How can we prevent overweight and obesity in children?
02 august 2024
In France, a growing number of children are overweight or obese. To combat this threat, France’s national health insurance service has launched an obesity prevention program. It focuses on children between the ages of 3 and 12, and participation is free of charge to families.
A recent report (1) on how to better prevent and treat obesity reveals that 17% of French children are overweight, including 4% who are obese.
On 30 March 2023, the health insurance arm of France’s Social Security system launched a program called “Mission: get back on track” (2). This public health action plan focuses on preventing overweight and obesity in children aged 3 to 12 and is fully funded by the national health insurance plan. Therefore, the parent of an overweight or obese child simply shows their Carte Vitale insurance card and has no advance payment to make.
Why worry about children being overweight or obese?
Various studies show that between 20% to 50% of children who are obese before entering puberty will stay that way once they are adults. For children or teenagers who are obese after puberty, the proportion can reach 50% to 70%. There are proven links between obesity and an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. People who are obese are also more likely to suffer from joint damage (in the hips, knees, ankles, etc.) and sleep apnea.
Alongside an increased risk of chronic disease, in the short-term, there are also psychological consequences of being overweight or obese. These impacts are particularly significant in young children due to the importance of their self-image, which can often be greater than in adults. Overweight or obese children may be teased, stigmatized and, in more extreme cases, physically attacked by peers, all of which can lead to isolation, loss of self-confidence, and attacks of anxiety – or even depression. They may also experience insomnia, for example, or eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.
What action can be taken to prevent overweight and obesity in children?
It is essential for children to have regular health checkups with a pediatrician or family doctor. During these checkups, the physician should monitor the child’s:
- Body mass index (BMI)
- Adiposity rebound
- Growth chart
The BMI corresponds to a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined the following categories based on BMI:
| Categories based on BMI | |
| ≤ 18.5 | underweight |
| 18.5 – 25 | healthy weight |
| 25 – 30 | overweight |
| 30 – 35 | class I obesity (moderate) |
| 35 – 40 | class II obesity (severe) |
| ≥ 40 | class III obesity (formerly known as “morbid”) |
The adiposity rebound refers to an increase in BMI that is expected in children around the ages of five or six. However, if the rebound occurs earlier, before the child turns five, their risk of being overweight during childhood and obese as an adult is greatly increased.
The child’s pediatrician or the family doctor should warn parents if their overweight child aged 3 to 12 is in one of the following situations:
- BMI of over 25
- Steepening of the BMI growth curve
- Adiposity rebound before the age of five
Parents should then be informed about the “Mission: get back on track” program and referred to an approved healthcare facility in the department where they reside.
| MISSION: GET BACK ON TRACK |
| Children aged 3 to 12 can participate in this two-year program, which includes:
– three assessments: a nutritional assessment (lifestyle, eating habits, etc.), a physical activity assessment and a psychological health assessment – six nutritional and/or psychological check-ups “The goal is not to put children on a weight-loss diet – considered to be both ineffective and potentially dangerous – but to help them gain weight less quickly, so they can slim out as they continue to grow,” says the national health insurance service. |
After these checkups and follow-up visits, the physician meets with the child and their parents again to check on progress. The child’s BMI, growth chart and, for under-fives, adiposity rebound will again be examined. If the physician deems it necessary, re-enrollment can be prescribed. Like the first, a second participation in the program will be fully covered by the national health insurance plan.
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