Childhood obesity is often referred to as a medical condition which occurs when a child is well above a normal weight based on age and height. Though obesity itself is not necessarily problematic, it can lead to a number of other health compromising issues. Children who are obese are much more likely to suffer from heart disease later in life and obesity has also been linked to a number of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.

Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years, bringing the numbers to an all-time high. In a recent poll, the prevalence of childhood obesity in children ages 6-11 was as high as 20%. In 1980, this percentage was not much higher than 5%. Similarly, young adults ages 12-19 have a 18% chance of being obese while the same age bracket 30 years ago had only a 5% chance. These staggering numbers are causing many to ask why childhood obesity is so much more prevalent now than it ever had been.

There are a number of potential causes of childhood obesity. The first is genetics and family history, which can play a large role in determining a child’s weight. However, experts agree that the most prominent cause of obesity is poor nutrition. This includes eating too much, eating unhealthy foods, and exercising too infrequently. Due to unhealthy trends in American food consumption, fewer children are exposed to good nutrition practices and as a result, becoming obese.

Many also point to socioeconomic factors as the reason why more children are becoming obese. Many families seek the lowest priced food options available to them because of their tight budget. Unfortunately, the lowest price foods are often the least healthy and many low-income families find themselves choosing fast food because they need to save money. As a result, the children in these families suffer the consequences of poor nutrition and health.

Just because a child carries a few extra pounds does not immediately mean he/she is overweight or obese. Children (as well as adults) all have different body types which may impact their overall weight relative to the average. Children will also experience various physical changes over the course of development which may lead to a gain or loss in weight. Because of this, you may not be able to tell just by looking at a child if he/she truly suffers from childhood obesity.

In order to determine if a child’s weight is abnormal or could lead to health problems, it is best to consult your child’s doctor. A doctor can help you calculate your child’s Body Mass Index (BMI) and use it to determine if your child is above the standard weight for his/her age. However, just because a child is over the standard weight, does not mean he/she is at risk for health issues. BMI is simply a way to gauge a child’s current size relative to others. A doctor must consider the child’s individual growth over a period of time to truly see if he/she is in danger of health problems.

There are several tests that will help your doctor make a definitive hemochromatosis diagnosis. These series of tests are to be done especially in hereditary hemochromatosis for the disease can be difficult to diagnose. The diagnostic tests are first done by taking into account your complete family history of illness, your own medical history, as well as physical examination. Your doctor will ask you several questions to see if your signs and symptoms are caused by hemochromatosis. Signs and symptoms often include:

- Joint and muscle pain

- Chronic fatigue

- Enlarged liver

- Cardiac arrhythmias

- Diabetes

What makes hemochromatosis diagnosis so difficult is that the amount of iron in your blood will be normal, but the iron in your body is in excess. The test is done by taking several samples of blood. The blood is taken from a vein from your arm. The blood is now tested for transferring saturation, serum ferritin, and liver function tests. Serum transferring saturation test is done to measure the amount of iron that is bound to a protein found in your body called transferrin. This protein is responsible for carrying iron in your blood. Values of greater than 45% are considered abnormal.

This is not a positive indication of hemochromatosis. Serum ferritin measures are now done to measure the iron content stored in the body and not in the blood. Several tests of serum ferritin are to be done for there are several forms of infection and inflammatory conditions that can result to increased levels.

These tests for hemochromatosis diagnosis are not routine examination. These tests are only done when you have a family history of hemochromatosis. Once a diagnosis has been confirmed, your doctor will now order several treatment methods to help decrease iron levels in your body. These treatment methods must be done to help prevent complications due to iron toxicity, or halt their progression if they are already present. These treatments include therapeutic phlebotomy (which is similar to donating blood), intake of iron chelating agents, as well as diet modification to help prevent increase of iron levels. Your doctor will order which therapy will be suited for you depending on your condition.

The heart plays a vital role in keeping the body alive. The heart is a pump that pumps life through the body. The heart has two main functions. It pumps blood to the lungs to retrieve oxygen and then pumps that oxygen into the blood and transports it around the rest of the body.

The heart is actually muscle and you have to keep training the muscle to maintain its conditioning. As the saying goes if you don’t use it you will lose it, and this also applies to the heart.

When the heart is in top condition the body works like a highly maintained car engine, it runs perfectly. A heart that is healthy and well taken care off is more able to cope with demands and stress that is put on the body. As the body has been designed to move it is the constant of physical activity that keeps your heart fit.

A healthy heart can provide you and your body with many benefits as follows:

• By acquiring the habit of doing physical exercise everyday you can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease and coronary heart attack. These exercises do not have to be intensive are done for a long period. As little as 15 minutes a day of exercise that makes you breathless will greatly improve the health of the heart.

• A heart that is healthy and strong will enable the body to function more effectively. This will enable the body to take on more strenuous activities and the common daily tasks are done with efficiency and comfort.

• A trained and healthy heart works more efficiently than one that is out of condition. This means the it beats at a lower rate when the body is resting. Over time this means the heart works less and does not wear out.

• The great thing about your heart is that it has the ability to heal and repair itself. For example, if it has already been damaged by heart disease it can be repaired through the proper healing processes and activities.

As you can see the heart plays a very important role and as it is a muscle of the body you have to keep training it to keep it healthy. The best way to do this is to look at your current lifestyle and see if any improvements can be made. For example, you could cut down on high fat foods and introduce more fresh fruit and vegetables into your diet. If you do not take any exercise then maybe you should consider joining a gym or go for a jog a couple of times a week to keep you and your heart in shape.

Always seek medical advise before changing your diet or taking physical exercise if you have a health condition.