CHILDHOOD OBESITY Edited by Sevil Ari Yuca Childhood Obesity Edited by Sevil Ari Yuca Published by InTech Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Copyright © 2012 InTech All chapters are Open Access distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, which allows users to download, copy and build upon published articles even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. After this work has been published by InTech, authors have the right to republish it, in whole or part, in any publication of which they are the author, and to make other personal use of the work. Any republication, referencing or personal use of the work must explicitly identify the original source. As for readers, this license allows users to download, copy and build upon published chapters even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. Notice Statements and opinions expressed in the chapters are these of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in the published chapters. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any damage or injury to persons or property arising out of the use of any materials, instructions, methods or ideas contained in the book. Publishing Process Manager Martina Blecic Technical Editor Teodora Smiljanic Cover Designer InTech Design Team First published March, 2012 Printed in Croatia A free online edition of this book is available at www.intechopen.com Additional hard copies can be obtained from orders@intechopen.com Childhood Obesity, Edited by Sevil Ari Yuca p. cm. ISBN 978-953-51-0374-5 Contents Preface IX Part 1 Childhood Obesity – Epidemiology and Risk Factors 1 Chapter 1 Epidemiological and Clinical Aspects in a Developing Country 3 Ana Mayra Andrade de Oliveira Chapter 2 Early Infant Feeding Influences and Weight of Children 15 Elizabeth Reifsnider and Elnora Mendias Chapter 3 Can Breastfeeding Reduce the Risk of Childhood Obesity? 53 Laurie Twells, Leigh Anne Newhook and Valerie Ludlow Chapter 4 Waist Circumference in Children and Adolescents from Different Ethnicities 79 Peter Schwandt and Gerda-Maria Haas Chapter 5 Critical Periods for the Development of Obesity 95 C. Campoy, T. Anjos and E. Martín-Bautista Chapter 6 Childhood Inmigration and Obesity – An Emerging Problem 121 I. Díez López and M. Carranza Ferrer Part 2 Childhood Obesity – Prevention and Future Life 129 Chapter 7 Comorbidities of Childhood Obesity 131 Ambar Banerjee and Dara P. Schuster Chapter 8 Behavioral and Psychosocial Factors in Childhood Obesity 143 Fernando L. Vazquez and Angela Torres Chapter 9 Obesity and Quality of Life in Communities of Diverse Ethnicity and Low Socioeconomics 167 Joan Griffith Chapter 10 Childhood Obesity: The Need for Practice Based Solutions – A South African Perspective 193 A.E. Pienaar and G.L. Strydom Chapter 11 “Jugando a Ganar Salud” (“Playing to Gain Health”): A Summer-Vacation Physical Activity and Correct Eating Workshop for School-Aged Children – A Pilot Study 221 Karime Haua-Navarro, Luz Irene Moreno-Landa, Marcela Pérez-Rodríguez, Guillermo Meléndez and Ana Bertha Pérez-Lizaur Preface Childhood obesity has been one of the major problems for children in the last century and it still is a widespread condition all over the world. The metabolic effect of early- onset obesity is more severe in children than in adults. This process may start in early infancy or even in the uterus. Obesity in children is a very complex and difficult issue for endocrinologists. This book aims to draw attention to the various aspects of this disease. The following chapters are presented: ‘’Behavioral and Psychosocial Factors in Childhood Obesity ‘’ by Fernando L. Vazquez and Angela Torres; a review of the relevant literature concerning both behavioral and psychosocial factors involved in childhood obesity, and the impact of childhood obesity on mental health. ‘’Childhood Immigration and Obesity - An Emerging Problem ‘’ by I. Díez López and M. Carranza Ferrer; a review on immigration and its role in the etiology of childhood obesity. ‘’Childhood Obesity: The Need for Practice Based Solutions – A South African Perspective’’ by A.E. Pienaar and G.L. Strydom; a review with the focus on childhood obesity in South Africa which discusses the extent of this problem within the complex context of the South African demographics. ‘’Comorbidities Of Childhood Obesity ‘’ by Ambar Banerjee and Dara P. Schuster; a review on the complications of childhood obesity in childhood and adulthood. ‘’Critical Periods for the Development of Obesity’’ by C. Campoy, T. Anjos and E. Martín-Bautista; a review on etiology and mechanisms of obesity. ‘’Can Breastfeeding Reduce the Risk of Childhood Obesity?’’ by Laurie Twells et. al.; a review on the protective role of breastfeeding in the development of obesity later in life. ‘’Epidemiological and Clinical Aspects in a Developing Country’’ by Ana Mayra Andrade de Oliveira; a review on the impact of obesity on cardiometabolic risk factors in youth, Metabolic syndrome. X Preface ‘’Early Infant Feeding Influences and Weight of Children’’ by Elizabeth Reifsnider and Elnora Mendias; a review on the effects of early feeding on the development of obesity in infancy. ‘’Jugando a Ganar Salud” (“Playing to Gain Health”): A Summer-Vacation Physical Activity and Correct Eating Workshop for School-Aged Children – A Pilot Study’’ by Karime Haua-Navarro et. al.; a review on the results of regular physical activity and nutrition in school aged children. ‘’Obesity and Quality of Life in Communities of Diverse Ethnicity and Low Socioeconomics’’ by Joan Griffith; a review on quality of life, socioeconomic status or position, prevailing obesity prevalence disparity and the role of behavioral and social factors. ‘’Waist Circumference in Children and Adolescents from Different Ethnicities’’ by Peter Schwandt and Gerda-Maria Haas; a comparison of waist circumference of adolescents in Germany, Iran and Brazil. Sevil Ari Yuca, MD, Selcuk University, Meram Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Endocrinology Turkey . CHILDHOOD OBESITY Edited by Sevil Ari Yuca Childhood Obesity Edited by Sevil Ari Yuca Published by InTech Janeza. orders@intechopen.com Childhood Obesity, Edited by Sevil Ari Yuca p. cm. ISBN 978-953-51-0374-5 Contents Preface IX Part 1 Childhood Obesity –