Exercise as it relates to Disease/Exercise interventions for childhood obesity

Obesity is a severe excess of body mass relative to lean mass and is commonly determined by interpreting an individuals body mass index (BMI). It can be found by Dividing body weight in kilograms by height in meter’s squared. A BMI of equal or greater than 30 is considered obese. It can be found by Dividing body weight in kilograms by height in meter’s squared. A BMI of equal or greater than 30 is considered obese.

Background
Childhood obesity has reached "epidemic" proportion, with approximately 22 million children aged under 5 considered obese worldwide. Childhood obesity is considered a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is strongly correlated with the development of comorbid conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Insulin Resistance The increase in fat mass in children has occurred concurrently with a decline in self-reported exercise time, with recent studies suggesting that obesity prevention should focus on increasing physical activity, to improve body composition and metabolic variables.

Causes of Childhood Obesity
Although a range physiological and psychological factors contribute to childhood obesity, weight gain is primarily caused by an imbalance between energy intake (calories consumed ) and energy expenditure (calories expanded) where energy intake exceeds expenditure. In the present time children are spending more time participating in sedentary behaviour and consuming more energy dense processed food contributing to an energy imbalance  swayed toward weight gain

Role of Exercise In Reducing Childhood Obesity
Exercise is a key component in managing obesity. Physical activity increases energy expenditure improving energy balance towards weight loss. Exercise alone can also assist in the prevention of obesity related complications such as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes .. Exercise increases self-confidence and self-esteem, the lack of which have been linked to obesity.

Exercise Recommendations
The Australian Department of Health and Aging has developed Physical Activity recommendations for children and young people. These are that: It is also recommended that Overweight and Obese children - begin slowly working up to 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous activity being sure to not over do it to cause injury, then increased to 60–90 minutes to avoid weight gain.
 * 1) Children and young people should participate in at least 60 minutes (and up to several hours) of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity every day.
 * 2) Children and young people should not spend more than 2 hours a day using electronic media for entertainment (e.g. computer games, Internet, TV), particularly during daylight hours.