Exercise And Healthy Diet Can Prevent Liver Diseases Among Obese Children

Obese children and those with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are not meeting the UK recommendations for a variety of vitamins and minerals, says a new study by researchers from the University of Surrey and the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.

These children are also significantly far off meeting the recommended physical activity levels for children, which currently is 60 minutes five times a week. The findings further showed that excess weight is unlikely to be the only driving factor in NAFLD development with genetic susceptibility and ethnicity also likely to be implicated.

Kids in Daycare Get Moving to Combat Childhood Obesity: LSUHSC Research
A turn-key intervention program significantly increased physical activity levels among children in daycare, as reported in a research at the LSU Health Sciences Center.

‘In the western countries, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common form of chronic liver disease among children and adolescents.’

Tweet it Now

The team compared the habitual diet and behavior patterns of 24 children in the UK with NAFLD with obese children who do not have liver disease. Using a short questionnaire and pedometers the results showed that:

Children with liver disease were significantly more likely to be restrained eaters, suggesting that their diagnosis may have impacted on their eating behaviors.
Children with liver disease took more steps per day.
Sedentary behaviors were particularly prevalent at the weekend across both groups highlighting the important contribution of school-related active travel and in-school activity to this age group.

"Rather than make new recommendations for obese children with NAFLD, our findings indicate that concerted efforts should be made to help children improve their current diet and activity patterns to achieve existing population guidelines," said lead author Dr Bernadette Moore from the University of Surrey.

Childhood Obesity And Asthma: Which Came First?
For years, doctors have known that there is a link between childhood obesity and asthma.

"It also appears that the diagnosis of liver disease changes children's behaviors to a degree. Our study showed that children with NAFLD exhibited more restrained eating behaviors and were more likely to engage in exercise than obese children without liver disease."

Alison Taylor, Chief Executive of the Children's Liver Disease Foundation, added, "We have been delighted to fund this study which is the first to compare nutrient intake, eating behaviors and physical activity of children with NAFLD to obese children who do not have liver disease. The results make interesting reading and take us a step forward in our understanding of this condition."

Study Finds Early Life Risk Factors And Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Childhood Obesity
According to a study, racial and ethnic disparities in children who are overweight and obese may be determined by risk factors in infancy and early childhood.

NAFLD is a major public health challenge. It is currently the most common form of chronic livers disease in children and adolescents in western countries, with prevalence rising alongside rates of childhood obesity. Caused by a build-up of fat in the liver cells, the condition is strongly linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The study is published in the journal Nutrients.

When Tackling Childhood Obesity, Parental Sleep as Important as Child's Sleep
Parental sleep is related to child sleep, which is in turn, linked to a decreased risk of childhood obesity, a new study has found, claiming that sleep should be an important family value

Source-Eurekalert