Obesity affects height development in children
Childhood obesity is a global public health problem. This condition is increasing rapidly, especially in developing countries including Vietnam.
This is the opinion of Dr. Truong Ngoc Duong, Lecturer of Pediatrics Department, Military Medical Academy, at a conference on children's height development, held on the morning of October 19 in Hanoi .
Dr. Truong Ngoc Duong, Lecturer of Pediatrics Department, Military Medical Academy (Photo: Minh Nhat).
Taking the Red River Delta as an example, according to Dr. Duong, this is a rapidly developing area, changing living environment and habits leading to increased childhood obesity.
This situation was also pointed out in a study co-authored by Dr. Duong on 2,037 overweight and obese children during the period January 2024 - April 2025.
Among 2,037 overweight and obese children in the Red River Delta region, the 6-10 age group accounted for the highest rate at 73.2% (1,490 children), followed by the 11-13 age group at 25% (510 children) and the 14-17 age group at 1.8% (37 children).
Through research on 2,037 overweight and obese children aged 6-17, assessed based on BAZ (body mass index for age) and HAZ (height index for age), it shows that:
The rate of overweight and obesity is concentrated mainly in the primary school age group (6-10 years old), accounting for 73.2% of the total number of children surveyed.
Boys were clearly dominant (75.1%), significantly higher than girls.
The mean HAZ value in the 6-10 year old group was 0.66, reflecting that the majority of obese children in this age group had above average height, indicative of early growth.
Meanwhile, HAZ in the 14-17 age group was -0.64, indicating a trend of decreasing height with age in the older obese group, i.e., early weight gain was not accompanied by corresponding height growth in adolescence.
Thus, according to Dr. Duong, overweight and obesity appear early, mainly in primary school age, especially in boys, and can negatively affect later height growth.
From the above results, parallel monitoring of BAZ and HAZ indexes is necessary to comprehensively assess growth status, detect risks early and design appropriate nutrition and exercise interventions for each group of subjects.
“Prolonged obesity in young people can lead to stunted growth later in life. This is a matter of concern and needs to be taken into account to develop methods for height growth,” Dr. Duong shared.
Progression of bone loss due to excess fat
Sharing at the workshop, Dr. Luu Thi My Thuc - Head of Nutrition Department, National Children's Hospital, commented that excess fat also affects bone development and progresses to bone weakening.
The workshop gathered many domestic and international experts (Photo: Minh Nhat).
Bone marrow adipocytes secrete pro-inflammatory and immuno-modulatory molecules. These substances activate osteoclasts.
Diets in obese children are deficient in polyunsaturated fatty acids and polyphenols, which are essential for bone health. In addition, reduced physical activity in obese children reduces the mechanical stimulus for bone mineralization.
Another issue worth noting about bone development in obese children is that they develop bone age faster, taller than children of the same age. However, during puberty, bone growth slows down and stops early in children of the same age. This leads to the height of obese children is often shorter.
Experts recommend assessing bone development in children at each stage of development to have intervention methods.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/beo-phi-anh-huong-den-chieu-cao-va-phat-trien-xuong-o-tre-20251019125820536.htm
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