Obesity in Children

According to recent surveys done in the United States of America, England and Australia, it has been found that obesity in on the rise in children under the age of 10. Recently a young girl named Josie brought attention to the medical world in Victoria. She was first admitted into hosptial due to problems breathing and walking. When Josie would attempt to walk, she would need to be assisted by her mother or her brother to walk a mere 20m. At first, her mother thought this was because she suffered from breathing problems and assumed she may be suffering from asthma. However, as she brought her daughter into the hosptial, it was not that her daughter had asthma problems - it was because Josie was overweight. In fact, she tried exercise and weight loss supplements but Josie was still clinically obese. For a ten year old girl, she weighed 58kg at only 156cm tall.

Her mother, Susan, was asked about her daughter's medical history, eating pattern and daily exercise routine. This is Susan's story:

"I have a 10 year old girl and a 14 year old boy. Their father left me 2 years ago. I am working two jobs and barely have any time to spend time with my children, let alone cook them proper meals or take them to sporting events. When their father was here, we would eat all meals together. But then he left and we had barely any money. I would feel bad for Josie and would give her food as treats when she been a good girl. In the beginning, she was healthy and would eat weetbix and milk for breakfast, a banana for morning tea, and a wholemeal sandwhich with salad fillings with protein such as fish or chicken and afternoon tea would be a popper or tea with either fruit or crackers and cheese. Dinner would vary from veggies and chicken to salad to lasagne to seafood pasta. It was always healthy and nutritious and we could afford it. Her father was an accountant as well as a fitness freak. He left me for his gym trainer. I have heard that they have moved overseas so they can legally wed as gay marriages are illegal in Australia. But as time went past, I realised I couldn't afford to spend time cooking and makign these meals. Josie and Jared were getting fed only what I could afford and only what consumed less time. Now Josie's diet consists of junk food and takeaways. I did not mean for this to happen. I have put on 16kg, Jared has only put on three, but god knows how much Josie has put on. Jared is still fit and loves to exercise and as he has his own job and is always seeing friends, he eats well. He eats at their house and buys his own lunch. Josie usually eats this for a normal day - 4 slices of toast spread with butter and nutella as well as bowl of coco pops for breakfast with full cream milk. Morning tea is her favorite - chocolate macadamia bar and orange juice popper. Lunch is a sausage roll and vegemite and cheese sandwhich. Afternoon tea consists of last night's leftovers which could be anything from pizza to pies to spaghetti to chicken wings. Dinner is takeaway or I will make something simple and easy such as fried chicken wings and potato scallops."