By the end of this decade, the number of overweight children worldwide is expected to increase significantly, profoundly impacting various sectors from healthcare to economic stability, according to a study published yesterday in an international journal on childhood obesity.
Dr. Philip James, chairman of the International Obesity Task Force, stated that obesity is becoming a global epidemic affecting most countries.
Nearly half of children in North and South America are projected to be overweight by 2010 (compared to one-third today). In the European Union, approximately 38% of children (currently 25%) will be overweight if the current trend continues. The rate of overweight children in the Middle East and Southeast Asia is also expected to rise sharply. Overweight children are likely to face more health issues as they grow older and may have a shorter life expectancy.
Vittorio Campati, weighing 140 kg, underwent weight loss surgery in Rome (Photo: TTO)
As a result, many developed countries are experiencing a surge in weight loss surgeries. In the United States, more than 100,000 procedures were performed in 2003, which is ten times higher than in 1998, according to statistics from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). A similar trend is observed in Canada.
Most surgeries involve reducing part of the stomach or gallbladder. The results are quite impressive: patients lose 30-40% of their initial weight. Cases where patients lose between 50% to 80% of their excess weight are not uncommon. Medical specialists assert that this weight loss is sustainable compared to patients who lose weight through dieting.
SON NGUYEN – L.XUAN
