Girls as young as FOUR are suffering from joint problems caused by being fat
Girls from the age of four go to the doctor with joint problems caused by being overweight.
Data on 120,000 children from the National Child Measurement Program and GP data showed that girls are almost twice as likely to seek help for musculoskeletal problems than their peers.
Knee and back problems were the most common, with experts warning that these are caused by the strain of carrying too much weight.
But the same effect was not seen in boys, according to researchers from Queen Mary University of London.
Data from 120,000 children from the National Child Measurement Program and data from general practitioners show that girls are almost twice as likely to seek help for musculoskeletal problems than their peers (stock)
They analyzed 63,418 childcare children aged four to five years, and 55,364 six-year-old children aged 10 to 11 years.
About 8.9 percent of boys were obese, compared with 7.1 percent of girls when they entered primary school, rising to 19.9 percent and 14.4 percent respectively in year six.
Compared to anonymized GP data, it turned out that 3 percent of reception children and 8 percent of children in the sixth year had at least one GP appointment due to joint problems.
This included 194 children aged four and five years and 875 children aged six who had repeat consultations on this topic.
Overall, girls were more likely to see their doctor, according to the findings published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.
On average, the first appointment took place almost three years after the NCMP measurement in reception and more than two years after the year six measurement.
Reception-age girls who were considered overweight were a quarter (24 per cent) more likely to see a GP at least once with a musculoskeletal problem, rising to 67 per cent if they were obese.
Nicola Firman, from Queen Mary University, said: ‘We hope our findings will raise awareness of the significance of poor musculoskeletal health and stimulate more research into understanding the link with childhood obesity.
More than a million children had their height and weight measured as part of the National Child Measurement Program (NCMP). Nationally, the rate among children in the sixth form is over a third, despite falling slightly since the start of Covid
‘More needs to be done at a policy level to support families in preventing obesity and potentially reducing the risk of musculoskeletal pain.’
Among reception children, 22 percent of boys and 32 percent of girls reported back pain, compared to 30 percent of boys in year six and 45 percent of girls in year six.
Researchers warned that poor musculoskeletal health during childhood has the potential to have a significant impact on quality of life, throughout childhood and into adolescence and adulthood.
Participation in some physical activities may be limited by musculoskeletal problems, the research team added, with further research needed into why boys were less likely to see a doctor.
They wrote: ‘In turn, increased weight has the potential to contribute to persistent musculoskeletal pain and, as a result, children as adolescents and adults may experience an ongoing cycle of obesity/musculoskeletal pain.’
Victoria King of Barts Charity, which funded the study, said: ‘Building a stronger evidence base on the possible causes of joint and muscle pain could lead to policy changes that will improve children’s health in East London, but also nationally. , will improve.’
WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains, according to the NHS
• Eat at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count
• Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole wheat
• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread and a large baked potato with the skin still on
• Provide some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks), opting for lower fat and lower sugar options
• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish per week, one portion of which is fatty)
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities
• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day
• Adults should have less than 6 g of salt and 20 g of saturated fat for women or 30 g for men per day
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide