nih-gov/medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007508.htm
2025-02-26 13:17:41 -05:00

287 lines
No EOL
34 KiB
HTML
Raw Permalink Blame History

This file contains ambiguous Unicode characters

This file contains Unicode characters that might be confused with other characters. If you think that this is intentional, you can safely ignore this warning. Use the Escape button to reveal them.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en" id="article" class="nojs us" data-root="//medlineplus.gov" itemid="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007508.htm" itemtype="http://schema.org/MedicalWebPage" itemscope="">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1"/>
<meta http-equiv="window-target" content="_top"/>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"/>
<meta charset="utf-8"/>
<meta property="fb:app_id" content="1042245625821448"/>
<meta name="expires" content="Wed, 05 02 2025"/>
<meta name="ac-dictionary" content="medlineplus-ac-dictionary"/>
<link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://medlineplus.gov/images/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon"/>
<link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="//medlineplus.gov/images/touch-icon.png"/>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/common_new.css?04272023"/>
<!--[if IE 8]> <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/ie8/common.css"><![endif]-->
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/css/uswds_styles.css"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://medlineplus.gov/css/ency/ency2.css?07162024"/>
<script type="text/javascript">document.querySelector("html").className = document.querySelector("html").className.replace(/nojs[\s]*/g, '');</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds-init.min.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&amp;l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='//www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-MMVM77');</script>
<link rel="canonical" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007508.htm" itemprop="url"/>
<link rel="alternative" hreflang="es" href="https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/007508.htm"/>
<link rel="alternative" hreflang="en" href="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007508.htm"/><meta property="og:title" content="Obesity in children: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia"/><meta property="og:url" content="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007508.htm"/><meta property="twitter:title" content="Obesity in children: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia"/><meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image"/><meta name="description" content="Obesity in children means having a weight that is higher than what is healthy for a childs height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. Over time, it can lead to other health problems, including diabetes,"/><meta itemprop="description" name="description" content="Obesity in children means having a weight that is higher than what is healthy for a childs height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. Over time, it can lead to other health problems, including diabetes,"/><meta property="og:description" content="Obesity in children means having a weight that is higher than what is healthy for a childs height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. Over time, it can lead to other health problems, including diabetes,"/><meta property="twitter:description" content="Obesity in children means having a weight that is higher than what is healthy for a childs height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. Over time, it can lead to other health problems, including diabetes,"/><meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_1.jpg"/><meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_2.jpg"/><meta property="og:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_3.jpg"/><meta property="twitter:image" content="https://medlineplus.gov/images/share_ency_1.jpg"/>
<title>Obesity in children: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia</title>
</head>
<body><link href="http://schema.org/Patient" itemprop="audience"/>
<!-- Google Tag Manager -->
<noscript><iframe title="googletagmanager" src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-MMVM77" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden">
</iframe>
</noscript>
<!-- End Google Tag Manager -->
<a name="top" id="top">
</a>
<a class="hide-offscreen" href="#start">Skip navigation</a>
<section class="usa-banner" aria-label="Official website of the United States government">
<div class="usa-accordion">
<header class="usa-banner__header">
<div class="usa-banner__inner">
<div class="grid-col-auto">
<img aria-hidden="true" class="usa-banner__header-flag" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/us_flag_small.png" alt=""/>
</div>
<div class="grid-col-fill tablet:grid-col-auto" aria-hidden="true">
<p class="usa-banner__header-text">
An official website of the United States government
</p>
<p class="usa-banner__header-action">Heres how you know</p>
</div>
<button type="button" class="usa-accordion__button usa-banner__button" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="gov-banner-default-default">
<span class="usa-banner__button-text">Heres how you know</span>
</button>
</div>
</header>
<div class="usa-banner__content usa-accordion__content" id="gov-banner-default-default">
<div class="grid-row grid-gap-lg">
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6">
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-dot-gov.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/>
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
<p>
<strong>Official websites use .gov</strong><br/>A
<strong>.gov</strong> website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="usa-banner__guidance tablet:grid-col-6">
<img class="usa-banner__icon usa-media-block__img" src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/img/icon-https.svg" role="img" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/>
<div class="usa-media-block__body">
<p>
<strong>Secure .gov websites use HTTPS</strong><br/>A
<strong>lock</strong> (
<span class="icon-lock"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52" height="64" viewBox="0 0 52 64" class="usa-banner__lock-image" role="img" aria-labelledby="banner-lock-description-default" focusable="false">
<title id="banner-lock-title-default">Lock</title>
<desc id="banner-lock-description-default">Locked padlock icon</desc>
<path fill="#000000" fill-rule="evenodd" d="M26 0c10.493 0 19 8.507 19 19v9h3a4 4 0 0 1 4 4v28a4 4 0 0 1-4 4H4a4 4 0 0 1-4-4V32a4 4 0 0 1 4-4h3v-9C7 8.507 15.507 0 26 0zm0 8c-5.979 0-10.843 4.77-10.996 10.712L15 19v9h22v-9c0-6.075-4.925-11-11-11z">
</path>
</svg> </span>) or <strong>https://</strong> means youve safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</section>
<div id="mplus-wrap">
<header>
<div id="mplus-header">
<!-- Orgs
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-orgs">
<a title="National Institutes of Health" target="_blank" class="nih-org" href="//www.nih.gov/">
<img alt="National Institutes of Health" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/nihlogo.png" class="nihlogo"/>
</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov/"> National Library of Medicine </a>
</div>
<!-- Logo
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-logo" class="years-25">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov">
<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/m_logo_25.png" title="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You" alt="MedlinePlus Trusted Health Information for You"/>
</a>
</div>
<!-- Nav Menu
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-nav">
<div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">The navigation menu has been collapsed.</div>
<!-- Menu Button-->
<button type="submit" aria-controls="mplus-menu-list" role="button" title="Menu" class="navmenu-btn" id="sm-menu-btn" aria-pressed="false" tabindex="0">Menu<span class="icon icon-nav-menu">
</span></button><ul class="nav-list" id="mplus-menu-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs &amp; Supplements</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li>
</ul><button type="submit" aria-controls="mplus-search" role="button" title="Search" class="navmenu-btn" id="sm-search-btn" aria-pressed="false" tabindex="0"><span class="hide-offscreen">Show </span>Search<span class="icon icon-nav-search">
</span></button>
<div class="top-1">
<!-- Search
================================================== -->
<form target="_self" title="Search MedlinePlus" action="//vsearch.nlm.nih.gov/vivisimo/cgi-bin/query-meta" method="get" id="mplus-search">
<input type="hidden" value="medlineplus" name="v:project"/>
<input type="hidden" value="medlineplus-bundle" name="v:sources"/>
<div class="form-box text-combo">
<div class="form-area"><label for="searchtext_primary" class="hide-offscreen">Search MedlinePlus</label>
<span role="status" aria-live="polite" class="ui-helper-hidden-accessible">
</span><input type="text" aria-haspopup="true" aria-autocomplete="list" role="textbox" autocomplete="off" name="query" size="40" maxlength="400" title="Site Search input" alt="Site Search input" placeholder="Search MedlinePlus" class="form-text ui-autocomplete-input" id="searchtext_primary"/>
</div>
<div class="button-area">
<button type="submit" alt="Search MedlinePlus" title="Search MedlinePlus" class="form-btn">GO</button>
</div>
</div>
</form>
<!-- Secondary Nav
================================================== -->
<div class="secondarynav">
<ul class="nav-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/"><span>About MedlinePlus</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/"><span>What's New</span></a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html"><span>Site Map</span></a></li>
<li><a target="_blank" href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&amp;category=medlineplus&amp;from=//medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007508.htm"><span>Customer Support</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<!-- Nav Bar
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-nav-bar">
<ul class="nav-list">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/healthtopics.html">Health Topics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html">Drugs &amp; Supplements</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/">Genetics</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/">Medical Tests</a></li><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html">Medical Encyclopedia</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<a title="Español" id="mplus-lang-toggle" href="../../spanish/ency/article/007508.htm">Español</a>
</div>
</div>
</header>
<!-- Content
================================================== -->
<div id="mplus-content">
<!-- Breadrcumbs -->
<div id="breadcrumbs"><div itemtype="http://schema.org/BreadcrumbList" itemscope="" itemprop="breadcrumb"><span class="hide-offscreen">You Are Here:</span>
<div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Home</span></a>
&rarr;
<meta itemprop="position" content="1"/>
</div>
<div itemscope itemprop="itemListElement" itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem">
<a href="https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Medical Encyclopedia</span></a>
&rarr;
<meta itemprop="position" content="2"/>
</div>
</div><div><span>Obesity in children</span></div></div>
<span class="page-url print-only">URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007508.htm
</span>
<!-- Article -->
<article><div id="d-article"><div class="page-info"><div class="page-title"><a name="start" id="start">
</a><h1 class="with-also" itemprop="name">Obesity in children</h1>
</div><div class="page-actions">
</div>
<noscript>
<span class="js-disabled-message">To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript.</span>
</noscript></div><div class="main"><div id="ency_summary"><p>Obesity in children means having a weight that is higher than what is healthy for a childs height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. Over time, it can lead to other health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.</p></div><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Causes</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-1" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-1"><p>When children eat more food than their bodies need for normal growth and activity, the extra calories are stored in fat cells for later use. If this pattern continues over time, they develop more fat cells and may develop obesity.</p><p>Normally, infants and young children respond to signals of hunger and fullness so that they do not consume more calories than their bodies need. However, changes over the last few decades in lifestyle and food choices have led to the rise of <a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000383.htm">obesity among children</a>. </p><p>Children are surrounded by many things that make it easy to overeat and harder to be active. Foods that are high in fat and sugar content often come in large portion sizes. These factors can lead children to take in more calories than they need before they feel full. TV commercials and other screen ads can lead to <a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000351.htm">unhealthy food choices</a>. Most of the time, the food in ads aimed at children is high in sugar, salt, or fats. </p><p>"<a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000355.htm">Screen time</a>" activities such as watching television, gaming, texting, and playing on the computer require very little energy. They often take the place of healthy physical exercise. Also, children tend to crave unhealthy snack foods they see in TV ads. </p><p>Other factors in the child's environment can also lead to obesity. Family, friends, and school setting help shape a child's diet and exercise choices. Food may be used as a reward or to comfort a child. These learned habits can lead to overeating. Many people have a hard time breaking these habits later in life.</p><p>Genetics, medical conditions, and emotional disorders can also increase a child's risk for obesity. Hormone disorders or low thyroid function, and certain medicines, such as steroids or anti-seizure medicines, can increase a child's appetite. Over time, this increases their risk for obesity.</p><p>An unhealthy focus on eating, weight, and body image can lead to an eating disorder. Obesity and eating disorders often occur at the same time in teenage girls and young adult women who may be unhappy with their body image.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Exams and Tests</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-2" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-2"><p>The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your child's medical history, eating habits, and exercise routine.</p><p>Blood tests may be done to look for thyroid or endocrine problems. These conditions could lead to weight gain.</p><p>Child health experts recommend that children be screened for obesity starting at age 6. Your child's body mass index (BMI) is calculated using height and weight. A provider uses a <a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000384.htm">BMI formula designed for growing children</a> to estimate your child's body fat. Obesity is defined as a BMI (body mass index) at or above the 95th percentile compared to other children and teens of the same age and sex.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Treatment</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-3" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-3"><p><a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000354.htm">SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD</a></p><p>The first step in helping your child get to a healthy weight is to talk to the child's provider. The provider can help to set healthy goals for weight loss and help with monitoring and support.</p><p>Try to get the whole family to join in making healthy behavior changes. Weight-loss plans for children focus on healthy lifestyle habits. A healthy lifestyle is good for everyone, even if weight loss is not the main goal.</p><p>Having <a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000385.htm">support from friends and family</a> can also help your child lose weight.</p><p>CHANGING YOUR CHILD'S LIFESTYLE</p><p>Eating a balanced diet means your child consumes the right types and amounts of foods and drinks to keep their body healthy.</p><ul><li>Know the right portion sizes for your child's age so your child gets enough nutrition without overeating.</li><li><a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000336.htm">Shop for healthy foods</a> and make them available to your child.</li><li>Choose a variety of healthy foods from each of the food groups. Eat foods from each group at every meal.</li><li>Learn more about <a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000339.htm">eating healthy and eating out</a>.</li><li><a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000351.htm">Choosing healthy snacks and drinks</a> for your children is important.</li><li>Fruits and vegetables are good choices for healthy snacks. They are full of vitamins and low in calories and fat. Some crackers and cheeses also make good snacks.</li><li>Limit junk-food snacks like chips, candy, cake, cookies, and ice cream. The best way to keep kids from eating junk food or other unhealthy snacks is to not have these foods in your house.</li><li>Avoid sodas, sport drinks, and flavored waters, especially ones made with sugar or corn syrup. These drinks are high in calories and can lead to weight gain. If needed, choose beverages with artificial (man-made) sweeteners.</li></ul><p>Make sure children have a chance to engage in <a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000353.htm">healthy physical activity</a> every day.</p><ul><li>Experts recommend children get 60 minutes of moderate activity every day. Moderate activity means you breathe more deeply than when at rest and your heart beats faster than normal.</li><li>If your child is not athletic, find ways to motivate your child to be more active.</li><li>Encourage children to play, run, bike, and play sports during their free time.</li><li>Children should not watch more than 2 hours of television a day.</li></ul><p>WHAT ELSE TO THINK ABOUT</p><p>Talk to your provider before giving weight loss supplements or herbal remedies to your child. Many claims made by these products are not true. Some supplements can have serious side effects.</p><p>Weight loss drugs are not recommended for most children.</p><p>Wegovy (a brand name of semaglutide) as a once a week injection was approved by the FDA in January 2023 to treat obesity in children 12 years and older with an initial BMI in the 95th percentile or higher; or with overweight (a BMI in the 85th percentile or higher) and at least one weight-related coexisting condition.</p><p><a test="test" href="../patientinstructions/000356.htm">Bariatric surgery</a> is currently being performed for some children, but only after they've stopped growing.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Possible Complications</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-4" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-4"><p>A child who is overweight or has obesity is more likely to be overweight or have obesity as an adult. Children with obesity are now developing health problems that used to be seen only in adults. When these problems begin in childhood, they often become more severe when the child becomes an adult.</p><p>Children with obesity are at risk for developing these health problems:</p><ul><li>High blood glucose (sugar) or <a test="test" href="./001214.htm">diabetes</a>.</li><li>High blood pressure (<a test="test" href="./000468.htm">hypertension</a>).</li><li>High blood cholesterol and triglycerides (<a test="test" href="./000403.htm">dyslipidemia</a> or high blood fats).</li><li><a test="test" href="./000195.htm">Heart attacks</a> due to coronary heart disease, congestive <a test="test" href="./000158.htm">heart failure</a>, and <a test="test" href="./000726.htm">stroke</a> later in life.</li><li>Bone and joint problems -- more weight puts pressure on the bones and joints. This can lead to <a test="test" href="./000423.htm">osteoarthritis</a>, a disease that causes joint pain and stiffness.</li><li>Stopping breathing during sleep (<a test="test" href="./000811.htm">sleep apnea</a>). This can cause daytime fatigue or sleepiness, poor attention, and problems at work.</li></ul><p>Girls with obesity are more likely not to have regular menstrual periods.</p><p>Children with obesity often have low self-esteem. They are more likely to be teased or bullied, and they may have a hard time making friends.</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Alternative Names</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-Alt" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-Alt"><p>Obese - children</p></div></div></section><section><div class="section sec-mb"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Images</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-tnails" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div name="Images" class="section-body" id="section-tnails"><ul class="img-grid group">
<li><img src="//medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/tnails/17213t.jpg" alt="Height/weight chart" title="Height/weight chart" class="side-img"/><a href="../imagepages/17213.htm">Height/weight chart</a></li>
<li><img src="//medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/tnails/19266t.jpg" alt="Childhood obesity" title="Childhood obesity" class="side-img"/><a href="../imagepages/19266.htm">Childhood obesity</a></li>
</ul></div></div></section><section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>References</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-Ref" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div class="section-body" id="section-Ref"><p>Barb D, Donahoo WT, Considine RV. Obesity: risk factors and medical management. In: Robertson RP, ed. <em>DeGroot's Endocrinology</em>. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 20.</p><p>Daniels SR, Hassink SG; Committee on Nutrition. The role of the pediatrician in primary prevention of obesity. <em>Pediatrics</em>. 2015;136(1):e275-e292. PMID: 26122812 <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26122812/" target="_blank">pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26122812/</a>.</p><p>Gahagan S. Overweight and obesity. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. <em>Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics</em>. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 60.</p><p>Johnson CR, Kumar S. Obesity in children. In: Kellerman RD, Rakel DP, Heidelbaugh JJ, Lee EM, eds. <em>Conn's Current Therapy 2023</em>. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:1347-1354.</p><p>US Preventive Services Task Force, Grossman DC, et al. Screening for obesity in children and adolescents: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. <em>JAMA</em>. 2017;317(23):2417-2426. PMID: 28632874 <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28632874/" target="_blank">pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28632874/</a>.</p><p>Weghuber D, Barrett T, Barrientos-Pérez M, et al. Once-weekly Semaglutide in adolescents with obesity. <em>N Engl J Med</em>. 2022;387(24):2245-2257. PMID: 36322838 <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36322838/" target="_blank">pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36322838/</a>.</p></div></div></section>
<section><div class="section"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Review Date 7/1/2023</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-version" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div>
<div id="section-version" class="section-body"><p>Updated by: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. </p>
</div></div></section><section><div class="section ency-citation"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title ency-citation"><div id="citation-how-to"><button><span>Learn how to cite this page</span></button></div></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div></div></section><section><div class="section sec-mb"><div class="section-header"><div class="section-title"><h2>Related MedlinePlus Health Topics</h2></div><div class="section-button"><button type="submit" aria-controls="section-mtp" role="button" title="Expand/Collapse section"><span class="icon icon-section-action">
</span></button></div><div class="sm-live-area hide-offscreen" aria-live="polite">
</div></div><div name="Related MedlinePlus Health Topics" class="section-body" id="section-mtp"><ul class="side-nav"><li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/obesityinchildren.html">Obesity in Children</a></li>
</ul></div></div></section></div></div></article>
</div>
<footer>
<div class="provider-box group">
<div class="urac-logo">
<a href="https://accreditnet.urac.org/directory/#/certification/HCP-2/info"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/CertifiedSeal.png"/></a>
<p class="urac-logo-info">Health Content Provider<br>06/01/2025</p>
</div>
<p class="adam-info">
<a href='javascript:urac_open();'>A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC</a>, for Health Content Provider (www.urac.org). URAC's <a href='javascript:hwsopen();'>accreditation program</a> is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s <a href='javascript:edpolopen();'>editorial policy, editorial process</a>, and <a href='javascript:ppopen();'>privacy policy</a>. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: <a href='javascript:honc_open();'>verify here</a>.
</p>
</div>
<p class="adam-info">
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997-2025 A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
</p>
<div class="adam-logo">
<a href="https://www.adam.com/about" target="_blank"><img width="49" height="10" alt="About A.D.A.M." src="https://medlineplus.gov/ency/images/ency/ftrAdamlogo.gif"/></a>
</div>
<div id="mplus-footer">
<div class="footer1">
<ul class="secondarynav">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/">About MedlinePlus</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/whatsnew/">What's New</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/sitemap.html">Site Map</a></li>
<li><a name="contact" target="_blank" href="https://support.nlm.nih.gov/knowledgebase/category/?id=CAT-01231&amp;category=medlineplus&amp;from="><span>Customer Support</span></a></li>
</ul>
<ul class="follow-footer">
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/rss.html" class="follow-item">Subscribe to RSS<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/feed.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="RSS" title="RSS"></a></li>
<li><span class="follow-label">Follow us</span>
<a href="https://twitter.com/medlineplus" class="follow-item" target="_blank"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_twitter.png" class="follow-icon" alt="X" title="X"></a>
<a href="https://facebook.com/Mplus.gov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_share_fb.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Facebook" title="Facebook"></a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/mplusgov/" class="follow-item" target="_blank"><img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/Instagram_Glyph_Gradient_RGB.png" class="follow-icon" alt="Instagram" title="Instagram"></a>
</li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/social-media-toolkit/" class="social-media-toolkit-item">Social Media Toolkit<img src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/i_social_media_toolkit.png" class="social-media-toolkit-icon" alt="Social Media Toolkit" title="Social Media Toolkit"></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="footer2">
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.nlm.nih.gov/web_policies.html" target="_blank">NLM Web Policies</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/usingcontent/" >Copyright</a></li>
<li><a href="//medlineplus.gov/accessibility.html">Accessibility</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/using/criteria/">Guidelines for Links</a></li>
<li><a href="//medlineplus.gov/plugins.html">Viewers &amp; Players</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.hhs.gov/vulnerability-disclosure-policy/index.html" target="_blank">HHS Vulnerability Disclosure</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/medlineplus-connect/">MedlinePlus Connect for EHRs</a></li>
<li><a href="https://medlineplus.gov/about/developers/">For Developers</a></li>
</ul>
<div class="address">
<a href="//www.nlm.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Library of Medicine</a>
<span>8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894</span>
<a href="//www.hhs.gov" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Health and Human Services</a>
<a href="//www.nih.gov" target="_blank">National Institutes of Health</a>
</div>
<div class="return-top"><a href="#top" title="Return to top"><img class="return-top-icon" alt="Return to top" src="https://medlineplus.gov/images/return-top.png"></a></div>
</div>
</div>
</footer>
</div><!-- End Wrap -->
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/jquery-3.6.0.min.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-frontend-controls.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<!--[if lte IE 9]>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/jquery.placeholder.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<![endif]-->
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/mplus-share.js?id=1112022" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/control.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/uswds/js/uswds.min.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
<script src="https://medlineplus.gov/jslib/ency/ency.js" type="text/javascript">
</script>
</body>
</html>