Research shows that obese children are at increased risk from a number of serious health problems more usually seen in adulthood, including hardened and blocked arteries (coronary artery diseases), high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. When they grow up, they are more likely to be obese.
This means a higher risk of heart attack and stroke, type 2 diabetes, bowel cancer, and high blood pressure in adulthood. The risk of health problems increases the more overweight a person becomes.
Being overweight as a child can also cause psychological distress. Teasing about their appearance affects a child’s confidence and self-esteem, and can lead to isolation and depression.
The number of overweight and obese children in the UK has risen steadily over the past 20 years. The obesity epidemic is now a major health concern.
As with adult-onset obesity, childhood obesity has multiple causes centering around an imbalance between energy in (calories obtained from food) and energy out (calories expended in the basal metabolic rate and physical activity). Childhood obesity most likely results from an interaction of nutritional, psychological, familial, and physiological factors.
• The Family - The risk of becoming obese is greatest among children who have two obese parents. This may be due to powerful genetic factors or to parental modeling of both eating and exercise behaviors, indirectly affecting the child’s energy balance. One half of parents of elementary school children never exercise vigorously.
• Low-energy Expenditure - The average American child spends several hours each day watching television; time which in previous years might have been devoted to physical pursuits. Obesity is greater among children and adolescents who frequently watch television, not only because little energy is expended while viewing but also because of concurrent consumption of high-calorie snacks. Only about one-third of elementary children have daily physical education, and less than one-fifth have extracurricular physical activity programs at their schools.
• Heredity - Since not all children who eat non-nutritious foods, watch several hours of television daily, and are relatively inactive develop obesity, the search continues for alternative causes. Heredity has recently been shown to influence fatness, regional fat distribution, and response to overfeeding. In addition, infants born to overweight mothers have been found to be less active and to gain more weight by age three months when compared with infants of normal weight mothers, suggesting a possible inborn drive to conserve energy.
On 21 June 2006, the European Commission approved the sale of Rimonabant in the then 25-member European Union. First country in which Rimonabant was sold is the United Kingdom. Sales began in July 2006. Manufacturer announced that it projects that the drug will be sold shortly thereafter in Denmark, Ireland, Germany, Finland and Norway. It is expected in Belgium and Sweden in 2007.
It works by blocking endogenous cannabinoid binding to neuronal CB1 receptors. Activation of these receptors by endoegenous cannabinoids, such as anadamide, increases appetite. It is the most advanced endocannabinoid receptor antagonist in clinical development and offers a novel therapeutic approach to appetite control and weight reduction.
Before you go ahead with Rimonabant or any other medication, prior conversation with your primary health professional and pharmacist is suggested to stay away from any future harmful repercussions. Seek instantaneous medical support, if you undergo these side effects for an extended phase of time or any other critical side effects.