Artikelomschrijving

In just under three decades, the world has witnessed an enormous rise in obesity with a parallel growth in cardiometabolic disease risk factors characterized by insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, together known as the metabolic syndrome - conditions previously unheard of in children and adolescents. During this time, we have little knowledge of the global and cumulative detrimental health effects of childhood obesity. As obese children age, not only will their health be negatively affected, but infertility and pregnancy complications associated with the metabolic syndrome will affect generations to come. The work force will undoubtedly be affected because of increased sick days and decreased work productivity. Identifying children and adolescents at the earliest stages of chronic disease onset should be the goal of clinical practice, yet there is no clear guidance for defining the risk of metabolic syndrome or appropriate risk-factor thresholds in these groups. If children are identified early in the disease process, lifestyle and clinical interventions can be instituted when they are potentially more effective.