Childhood Overweight, Obesity, and the Metabolic Syndrome in Developing Countries

The incidence of chronic disease is escalating much more rapidlyin developing countries than in industrialized countries. Apotential emerging public health issue may be the increasingincidence of childhood obesity in developing countries and theresulting socioeconomic and public health burden faced by thesecountries in the near future. In a systematic review carriedout through an electronic search of the literature from 1950–2007,the author compared data from surveys on the prevalence of overweight,obesity, and the metabolic syndrome among children living indeveloping countries. The highest prevalence of childhood overweightwas found in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, whereas Indiaand Sri Lanka had the lowest prevalence. The few studies conductedin developing countries showed a considerably high prevalenceof the metabolic syndrome among youth. These findings providealarming data for health professionals and policy-makers aboutthe extent of these problems in developing countries, many ofwhich are still grappling with malnutrition and micronutrientdeficiencies. Time trends in childhood obesity and its metabolicconsequences, defined by uniform criteria, should be monitoredin developing countries in order to obtain useful insights forprimordial and primary prevention of the upcoming chronic diseaseepidemic in such communities. child • developing countries • metabolic syndrome X • obesity • overweight