Obesity is a serious epidemic in the US, and in much of the world where packaged foods come with any number of chemicals and preservatives- many of which contribute to weight gain. The holiday season presents many opportunities to overeat, and gain weight- potentially resulting in back pain (as well as myriad other health problems.) One of the most at-risk groups are children, who also face a growing propensity for obesity. Right now, between 15 and 18 percent of American children are obese. The study I linked to below suggests that overweight children are more likely to develop disc disease- a problem more associated with older individuals.
During this holiday season, try to pay attention to what you are eating, and in particular- how much you are eating- but also pay attention to the nutritional concerns of your children so they don’t fall into bad habits. Make it a New Years resolution!
Stay tuned later this week for Part 2 of the mini-series, Pregnancy & Back Pain!
Thanks, and be well!
-Andy
Tags: Andrew Kirschner, Back Pain, back together, childhood obesity, children, disc disease, kirschner, Low Back Pain, pediatrics