Overweight and Obese Youth and Prescription Medication Use
Adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 who are classified as overweight or obese have been shown to use a significantly higher amount of prescription medications.
It’s a widespread belief that children and teenagers who are overweight or obese will not experience significant health issues until later in life. Unfortunately, this belief is incorrect.
Recent research involving 2,087 Canadian children aged 6 to 19 discovered no significant difference in medication use between normal weight and overweight or obese children until the age of 12. However, adolescents aged 12 to 19 who are overweight or obese were observed to use prescription medications at a notably higher rate, being 59 percent more likely to require medication.
Implications of Study Findings
This research highlights several important points. First, overweight or obese teenagers contribute to increased pressure on the Canadian health care system, not just through higher medication needs, but also due to potential future hospitalizations and medical treatments required for obesity-related health issues. Clearly, obesity is already impacting younger individuals by leading to a greater reliance on prescription drugs.
The study emphasized that the differing medication usage among children with obesity stresses the urgent need for effective obesity prevention strategies and policies to alleviate both the health and economic repercussions of childhood obesity.
Impact of Natural Health Products
The research also explored the usage of natural health products among children. This category encompasses a variety of items, including multivitamins and omega-3 supplements. The findings revealed that a larger proportion of normal weight adolescents consumed natural health products, whereas fewer overweight or obese teens made similar choices. While the study did not clarify the reasons behind this discrepancy, it presents an intriguing observation.
Strategies to Mitigate Childhood Obesity Risk
It is estimated that approximately 34 percent of Canadian children and teenagers are either overweight or obese, which amounts to over one-third of the youth population. The following articles and blog posts provide guidance on ways to lower the risk of obesity in children and adolescents:
