What about the Children?

I had already written a post about taste in the Twilight Zone, but a lot of people asked me to follow up on the spectrum and fertility articles. What about the children?

Adults are achieving more chronic degenerative disease than ever before, thanks to our degenerate diets and lifestyles. But what about the children, indeed? Unsurprisingly, they’re sick too. Over the last 3 decades chronic health conditions in the young have hugely increased. They now affect roughly 1 in 3 children (1-3); 1 unfortunate child in 20 has multiple chronic conditions (4).

Asthma, eczema and neurodevelopmental syndromes such as ADD, ADHD and dyslexia, referred to in the last post, are in the lead (5-7). Migraine is becoming popular (4). Hypertension, long considered to be an illness of middle and old age, now affects over 5% of children and over 10% of obese children (8, 9). Since 2002, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes have risen by 25% and 50% respectively (10).

One common driver of all these conditions is chronic inflammatory stress. This is amplified by obesity which is, in all senses, off the scale.

20% of children between the ages of 2 and 19 are clinically obese (11). The above stats refer to the USA, but the situation in the UK is similar (12). Our kids face a deeply unhealthy future; for example, up to 2/3 of obese children are so metabolically skewed that along with diabetes and hypertension, they also have non-alcohol related fatty liver disease (13).

You can’t really blame the kids.

They are metabolically challenged by endocrine-disrupting pollutants that we discard into the environment, which prime them for weight gain (14). They are programmed for weight gain before birth, via maternal dysnutrition (15-21). Social media have displaced many forms of physical activity. And they are surrounded by toxic, ultra-processed, quasi-addictive garbage masquerading as food.

Sugar-sweetened beverages, breakfast cereals and yoghurts, salty snacks, sweet and sour confectionery … our children are drowning in unhealthy food options. Fortunately, our politicians can be counted on to make all the right noises.

In 2020, for example, the UK government put out a report with the stirring title ‘Tackling Obesity: Empowering Adults and Children to Live Healthier Lives”. It will gather dust in Whitehall filing cabinets, next to 2019’s ‘Time to Solve Childhood Obesity’, 2006’s ‘Tackling Childhood Obesity – First Steps’, 2003’s ‘Childhood Obesity’ and other similar reports.

They have all been ineffective (22-25). They make the same old same old recommendations. Most of them are never acted on anyway.

Reduce fast-food outlets near schools. Reduce portion sizes. Reduce sugar in foods and soft drinks …  but do not reduce the food industry’s accounting loopholes and governmental subsidies, which enable them to sell ultra-processed foods 60% cheaper than basic produce (26). Do not reduce their ability to place product in children’s TV programs and social media and warp our vulnerable children’s minds and food preferences (27, 28). Do not, whatever you do, reduce their profits.

Welcome to the age of corporatism.

The public largely understands that the problem is a structural one, and believe it is the government’s responsibility to tackle childhood obesity (29). But when you read the government’s vapid posturing (‘We must allow children to grow up free from marketing, signals and incentives to consume unhealthy foods and drinks’), you can see that politicians, many of whom are in the pockets of industrial lobbying groups, will never support any meaningful action.

There will be no cavalry charge over the hill, from the left or from the right.

If we care for our kids, we have to do it ourselves. Children need to grow up free from ultra-processed foods and free from the marketing of such foods, because ultra-processed food is the new tobacco. The modern diet, which contains increasing amounts of ultra-processed food, kills more people than tobacco (30).

The use of insidiously effective cartoon media characters to promote high-sugar breakfast cereals and other unhealthy foods to children (31, 32) should be banned. The advertising and sale of ultra-processed food to children in general, should be banned. The use of bliss-point research to design quasi-addictive foods (33-36) should be banned.

Our children, who we want to see grow and blossom, will never achieve their true potential when they grow in such poor soil. So ban everything! Or persuade (or force) the multinational food companies to re-engineer their ultra-processed foods to make them healthy – which is technically quite easy to do.

In the meantime, there is evidence that encouraging our children to eat a less ultra-processed diet will undo much of the harm (37-38). The traditional herb Caralluma fimbriata can be very helpful in reducing appetite (39, 40). The validated extract is Slimaluma (41).

Exercise or other strategies that activate AMP-Kinase provides synergy (42, 43) – so persuade Joe and Joanna to participate in some kind of sporting activity. For children who can’t or won’t exercise, the traditional herb Gynostemma pentaphyllum mimics most of the effects of exercise (44, 45) including weight loss (45, 46). The validated extract is ActivAMP (47).

Our children could be leaner, stronger, happier (48), smarter (49-51) and healthier in every way. With a little help.

Next week: How to acquire good taste; a cookbook for humans.

References

1. Van Cleave J, Gortmaker SL, Perrin JM. Dynamics of obesity and chronic health conditions among children and youth. JAMA. 2010;303(7):623–30.
2. Newacheck PW, Taylor WR. Childhood chronic illness: prevalence, severity, and impact. Am J Public Health. 1992 Mar;82(3):364-71.
3. Perrin JM, Bloom SR, Gortmaker SL. The increase of childhood chronic conditions in the United States. Jama. 2007;297(24):2755–9.
4. Gerteis J, Izrael D, Deitz D, LeRoy L, Ricciardi R, Miller T, Basu J. Multiple chronic conditions chartbook. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Rockville, MD: 2014.
5. Akinbami LJ, Moorman JE, Garbe PL, Sondik EJ. Status of childhood asthma in the United States, 1980–2007. Pediatrics. 2009;123Suppl 3:S131–45.
6. Robison LM, Sclar DA, Skaer TL, Galin RS.National trends in the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the prescribing of methylphenidate among school-age children: 1990–1995. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1999;38(4):209–17.
7. Pastor PN, Reuben CA. Diagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disability: United States, 2004–2006.Vital Health Stat 10 2008;(237):1–14.
8. Sorof JM, Lai D, Turner J, Poffenbarger T, Portman RJ. Overweight, ethnicity, and the prevalence of hypertension in school-aged children. 2004 Mar; 113(3 Pt 1):475-82.
9. McNiece KL, Poffenbarger TS, Turner JL, Franco KD, Sorof JM, Portman RJ, Prevalence of hypertension and pre-hypertension among adolescents. J Pediatr. 2007 Jun; 150(6):640-4, 644.e1.
10. Divers J, Mayer-Davis EJ, Lawrence JM, Isom S, Dabelea D, Dolan L, Imperatore G, Marcovina S, Pettitt DJ, Pihoker C, Hamman RF, Saydah S, Wagenknecht LE. Trends in Incidence of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Among Youths – Selected Counties and Indian Reservations, United States, 2002-2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020 Feb 14;69(6):161-165.
11. Sanyaolu A, Okorie C, Qi X, Locke J, Rehman S. Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in the United States: A Public Health Concern. Glob Pediatr Health. 2019 Dec 1;6:2333794X19891305.
12. Nuffield Trust: Obesity 2021. https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/obesity
13. Peng L, Wu S, Zhou N, Zhu S, Liu Q, Li X. Clinical characteristics and risk factors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in children with obesity. BMC Pediatr. 2021 Mar 12;21(1):122.
14. Darbre PD. Endocrine Disruptors and Obesity. Curr Obes Rep. 2017 Mar;6(1):18-27.
15. Lecoutre S, Breton C. The cellularity of offspring’s adipose tissue is programmed by maternal nutritional manipulations. 2014 Dec 10;3(4):256-62.
16. Lecoutre S, Maqdasy S, Breton C. Maternal obesity as a risk factor for developing diabetes in offspring: An epigenetic point of view. World J Diabetes. 2021 Apr 15;12(4):366-382.
17. Lecoutre S, Breton C. Maternal nutritional manipulations program adipose tissue dysfunction in offspring.Front Physiol. 2015 May 13;6:158.
18. Maguire RL, House JS, Lloyd DT, Skinner HG, Allen TK, Raffi AM, Skaar DA, Park SS, McCullough LE, Kollins SH, Bilbo SD, Collier DN, Murphy SK, Fuemmeler BF, Gowdy KM, Hoyo C. Associations between maternal obesity, gestational cytokine levels and child obesity in the NEST cohort. Pediatr Obes. 2021 Jul;16(7):e12763.
19. Bolton JL, Bilbo SD. Developmental programming of brain and behavior by perinatal diet: focus on inflammatory mechanisms. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2014 Sep;16(3):307-20.
20. Hale MW, Spencer SJ, Conti B, Jasoni CL, Kent S, Radler ME, Reyes TM, Sominsky Diet, behaviour and immunity across the lifespan. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2015 Nov; 58: 46–62.
21. Dolton P, Xiao M. The intergenerational transmission of body mass index across countries. Econ Hum Biol. 2017 Feb;24:140-152.
22. Theis DR, White M. Is Obesity Policy in England Fit for Purpose? Analysis of Government Strategies and Policies, 1992-2020. Millbank Quarterly (2021), 99(1), 126-170
23. O’Dowd A. Clinicians underwhelmed by ‘watered down’ childhood obesity strategy. BMJ 2016;354:i4576\
24. National Audit Office. Childhood obesity. 7 September 2020. https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/childhood-obesity.pdf
25. Cole A. UK government likely to miss its target to reduce childhood obesity. 2006 Mar 4;332(7540):505.
26. The Broken Plate. Food Foundation. https://foodfoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/The-Broken-Plate.pdf
27. Russell SJ, Croker H, Viner RM. The effect of screen advertising on children’s dietary intake: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2019 Apr;20(4):554-568.
28. Cairns G, Angus K, Hastings G, Caraher M. Systematic reviews of the evidence on the nature, extent and effects of food marketing to children. A retrospective summary. 2013 Mar;62:209-15.
29. Obesity Health Alliance – Childhood Obesity Survey, June 2019.

Obesity Health Alliance – Childhood Obesity Survey, June 2019

30. GBD 2017 Diet Collaborators. Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990-2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. 2019 May 11;393(10184):1958-1972.
31. Sadeghirad B, Duhaney T, Motaghipisheh S, Campbell NR, Johnston BC. Influence of unhealthy food and beverage marketing on children’s dietary intake and preference: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Obes Rev. 2016 Oct;17(10):945-59.
32. Ogle AD, Graham DJ, Lucas-Thompson RG, Roberto CA. Influence of Cartoon Media Characters on Children’s Attention to and Preference for Food and Beverage Products. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2017 Feb;117(2):265-270.e2.
33. Gordon EL, Ariel-Donges AH, Bauman V, Merlo LJ. What Is the Evidence for “Food Addiction?” A Systematic Review. 2018 Apr 12;10(4):477.
34. Romero-Blanco C, Hernández-Martínez A, Parra-Fernández ML, Onieva-Zafra MD, Prado-Laguna MDC, Rodríguez-Almagro J. Food Addiction and Lifestyle Habits among University Students. 2021 Apr 18;13(4):1352.
35. Schulte EM, Potenza MN, Gearhardt AN. A commentary on the “eating addiction” versus “food addiction” perspectives on addictive-like food consumption. 2017 Aug 1;115:9-15.
36. Rauber F, Steele EM, Louzada MLDC, Millett C, Monteiro CA, Levy RB. Ultra-processed food consumption and indicators of obesity in the United Kingdom population (2008-2016). PLoS One. 2020 May 1;15(5):e0232676.
37. Canhada SL, Luft VC, Giatti L, Duncan BB, Chor D, Fonseca MJMD, Matos SMA, Molina MDCB, Barreto SM, Levy RB, Schmidt MI. Ultra-processed foods, incident overweight and obesity, and longitudinal changes in weight and waist circumference: the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Public Health Nutr. 2020 Apr;23(6):1076-1086.
38. Nardocci M, Leclerc BS, Louzada ML, Monteiro CA, Batal M, Moubarac JC. Consumption of ultra-processed foods and obesity in Canada. Can J Public Health. 2019 Feb;110(1):4-14.
39. Griggs JL, Su XQ, Mathai ML. Caralluma Fimbriata Supplementation Improves the Appetite Behavior of Children and Adolescents with Prader-Willi Syndrome. N Am J Med Sci. 2015 Nov;7(11):509-16.
40. Rao A, Briskey D, Dos Reis C, Mallard AR. The effect of an orally-dosed Caralluma Fimbriata extract on appetite control and body composition in overweight adults. Sci Rep. 2021 Mar 24;11(1):6791.
41. https://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-best-weight-control-formulas-caralluma-herb-500-mg-60-caps
42. An R. Diet quality and physical activity in relation to childhood obesity. Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2017 Apr 1;29(2):/j/ijamh.2017.29.issue-2/ijamh-2015-0045/ijamh-2015-0045.xml.
43. Rojas J, Arraiz N, Aguirre M, Velasco M, Bermúdez V. AMPK as Target for Intervention in Childhood and Adolescent Obesity. J Obes. 2011;2011:252817.
44. Nguyen PH, Gauhar R, Hwang SL, Dao TT, Park DC, Kim JE, Song H, Huh TL, Oh WK. New dammarane-type glucosides as potential activators of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) from Gynostemma pentaphyllum. Bioorg Med Chem. 2011 Nov 1;19(21):6254-60.
45. Gauhar R, Hwang SL, Jeong SS, Kim JE, Song H, Park DC, Song KS, Kim TY, Oh WK, Huh TL. Heat-processed Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract improves obesity in ob/ob mice by activating AMP-activated protein kinase. Biotechnol Lett. 2012 Sep;34(9):1607-16.
46. Park SH, Huh TL, Kim SY, Oh MR, Tirupathi Pichiah PB, Chae SW, Cha YS. Antiobesity effect of Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract (actiponin): a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.Obesity (Silver Spring). 2014 Jan;22(1):63-71.
47. https://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-ultra-activamp-amp-k-stimulator-225-mg-60-veg-caps
48. Lindberg L, Hagman E, Danielsson P, Marcus C, Persson M. Anxiety and depression in children and adolescents with obesity: a nationwide study in Sweden. BMC Med. 2020 Feb 21;18(1):30.
49. Adelantado-Renau M, Beltran-Valls MR, Moliner-Urdiales D. Inflammation and Cognition in Children and Adolescents: A Call for Action. Front Pediatr. 2020 Sep 9;8:583.
50. Hagman E, Danielsson P, Brandt L, Svensson V, Ekbom A, Marcus C. Childhood Obesity, Obesity Treatment Outcome, and Achieved Education: A Prospective Cohort Study. J Adolesc Health. 2017 Oct;61(4):508-513.
51. French SA, Wall M, Corbeil T, Sherwood NE, Berge JM, Neumark-Sztainer D. Obesity in Adolescence Predicts Lower Educational Attainment and Income in Adulthood: The Project EAT Longitudinal Study. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2018 Sep;26(9):1467-1473.