More than one fifth of children in Poland struggle with the problem of excessive body weight, according to data collected by the Supreme Audit Office based on the analysis of medical documentation. 14.5 percent Polish children are overweight, 7.2 percent. are obese people. According to experts, we are no longer on the verge of a catastrophe. The critical point has been crossed.
Obesity epidemic among Polish children. We have already crossed the threshold of a catastrophe, doctors are alarming
Published Dec. 6, 2022 16:25
The data collected in the NIK report concern the entire pediatric group, i.e. people aged 2 to 18. According to prof. about health of Anna Fijałkowska, cardiologist, second degree specialist in internal medicine, who is an expert of the Program Council for Public Health at the Minister of Health, the problem should be analyzed in relation to different age groups of children.
– The prevalence of obesity in children in the first years of primary school is higher than these data indicate. We carried out three editions of the study: in 2016, 2018 and 2021. While in 2016 the frequency of overweight and obesity slightly exceeded 30%, now it is already 35%. in eight-year-old children. For boys, it is almost 40%. The problem of obesity itself reaches the level of 20% in boys. – mentions Prof. Anna Fijalkowska.
This may mean creating a group of up to 70,000 students in each year of the initial classes of primary school. potential patients eligible for obesity treatment.
Dr. n. med. Paweł Matusik, head of the Clinical Department of Paediatrics, Pediatric Obesity and Metabolic Bone Diseases of the Department of Paediatrics and Pediatric Endocrinology of the Medical University of Silesia, president of the Polish Society of Pediatric Obesity, notes that a quarter of obese children struggle with third degree obesity.
– These are children with complications. In my clinic, I practically don't have children who would only suffer from obesity. Most of my patients suffer from prediabetes, fatty liver or high blood pressure. Children with such advanced obesity mostly later become obese adults, with a significant shortening of life, reaching as much as 12 years. The prognosis in these patients is similar to that of some cancers with poor prognosis. Pawel Matusik.
The problem of increasing multimorbidity in teenagers is pointed out by dr hab. n. med. Michał Brzeziński, pediatrician and pediatric gastrologist, assistant professor at the Department of Paediatrics, Gastroenterology, Allergology and Pediatric Nutrition of the Medical University of Gdańsk.
- There are even the first children aged 8-9 who have fatty liver disease. In 20 years, as 30-year-olds, they may have liver failure. Just 20 or 30 years ago, such a thing seemed completely unreal to us - points out prof. Michal Brzezinski.
Interestingly, more and more children themselves notice their problem, but their parents do not see it. A very difficult group to treat are patients with psychiatric disorders, mainly depression.
Obesity in children and adolescents has not only health and social consequences, but also economic ones. Although there are no precise analyzes and calculations, the scale of this problem can be estimated, believes Prof. n. med. and n. on health, dr. hab. n. economist Marcin Czech, epidemiologist, economist, expert in the field of public health, president of the Polish Pharmacoeconomic Society, and at the same time a former deputy minister of health.
– About 11-12 percent. of health care expenditure is directly or indirectly related to overweight and obesity. So we are talking about PLN 17-18 billion allocated to the treatment of such diseases or complications. Looking at the problem from a macroeconomic perspective, we can say that about 3-3.5 percent. of state budgets is lost due to the fact that societies struggle with overweight and obesity - points out prof. Marcin Czech.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Maciej Miłkowski, emphasizes that obesity is a chronic disease, which with effective treatment has periods of remission. However, the sick need specialist help.
– The effectiveness of these procedures is very high. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the KOS-BAR project, which is a very interesting initiative. An obese patient needs a consultation with several doctors - said Maciej Miłkowski.
Recall that the KOS-BAR project is a comprehensive medical care program for patients with morbid obesity treated surgically. As experts emphasize, in order to combat the problem of obesity among children more effectively, multi-specialist teams and an extension of the treatment system are needed. Help should be designed in the long term, because obesity is a chronic disease, and children struggling with it also require psychiatric care.
