We look to our kids and wonder just what the effects of obesity can be. Though we may not have anything to worry about now, will we in the future? Even being slightly overweight can be problematic for kids as it can be a hard cycle to break.

So this leads one to wonder just what the true effects of obesity on children may be. Are there some short term consequences? Are there longer team health problems we should worry about? The answer in both cases is absolutely and its time to break the cycle.

Obesity Isnt As Far Off As We Think

For the kids who struggle with being overweight this can easily lend way to the obesity category. One of the most recognizable effects of obesity is that being even slightly overweight can put one at risk for gaining more weight. You are susceptible to gaining weight when you are already overweight.

Not only that but you are carrying around extra pounds that the body doesnt need. This is taxing on the body and makes losing weight much harder.

The physical effects of obesity on children are quite obvious in some cases. Physically speaking kids arent able to be as active and may even suffer injury more easily. The body isnt intended to carry around all of that extra weight and so it starts to react slowly and sluggishly.

The child may struggle just to function in everyday activities and so the effects of obesity can be quite heartbreaking in terms of the fundamental functions that so many of us take for granted.

Some Consequences Arent As Obvious

Another thing to keep in mind in terms of effects of obesity on children is the fact that there can be a mental component to it. Being overweight as a child can lead to low self esteem. Kids are often made fun of and this really brings their confidence level down.

They may have a hard time socializing, making new friends, and ultimately feel isolated as a result of being overweight.

There is also the long term effects of obesity which can paint a dire picture. Kids who struggle with weight problems early on may be at risk for serious health problems later in life.

They may struggle with high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol even earlier in their life than you might think. This in turn puts them at risk for heart disease and even more health problems later in life.

So while we may think that a couple of extra pounds is no big deal, it can have terrible consequences for a child. The effects of obesity on children can be devastating and therefore really force a child to suffer physical and mental problems now and into their future.

As parents and advocates we need to help our kids to get healthy and ensure that our kids manage a healthy weight range and never suffer from these effects of obesity, long term, short term, or ever for that matter.