COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Assessing & Managing Obesity in Children course. This program is designed to build your understanding of what childhood obesity is, why prevention is generally preferable to treatment, and how to approach assessment and management in a safe, evidence-informed and family-centred way. You will explore the challenges that make childhood obesity prevention difficult in real-world settings, including social, cultural, environmental and economic factors, and consider why early, preventative approaches offer better long-term outcomes than waiting until obesity is firmly established and more complex to treat.

Childhood obesity is more than simply “being overweight”; it reflects an excess accumulation of body fat that can compromise a child’s current and future health. This section explains what childhood obesity is and what “too much fat” means in a clinical and functional sense, distinguishing between normal growth and unhealthy fat accumulation. It introduces the different types of body fat, such as subcutaneous and visceral fat, and outlines how these differ in terms of health risk. The section also touches on historical views of obesity, showing how attitudes have shifted from seeing excess weight as a sign of prosperity to recognising it as a significant public health concern.

Accurate assessment is critical to identifying children at risk and planning appropriate intervention. This section explains how obesity is diagnosed in children and how body fats can be measured with precision. It introduces the body mass index (BMI) and BMI-for-age growth charts commonly used in paediatrics, and explains how these tools are interpreted in relation to age, sex and growth patterns. The section also describes skinfold tests, waist circumference measurements and other non-imaging techniques used to estimate body fat distribution, highlighting their strengths and limitations in everyday practice.

Childhood obesity is associated with a range of serious health risks that can begin early in life. This section outlines the increased health risks linked to obesity, including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. It explains how blood pressure is measured in children and why accurate technique is important, and introduces the complications of diabetes that can appear over time if weight and blood glucose are not well managed. The section also describes how diabetes is diagnosed in children using clinical assessment and laboratory tests.

The consequences of childhood obesity extend beyond the immediate health risks into adolescence and adulthood. This section explores the long-term consequences and risks associated with childhood obesity, including progression to adult obesity, earlier onset of chronic diseases, reduced quality of life and increased healthcare utilisation. It considers how patterns established in childhood—such as sedentary behaviour, eating habits and coping strategies—can persist and compound health problems, reinforcing the importance of early and sustained intervention.

Obesity in children rarely has a single cause; instead, it arises from a complex interaction of biological, behavioural, environmental and social factors. This section examines the many causes of childhood obesity, including dietary patterns, physical inactivity, screen time, sleep, family routines, genetics, and broader community and policy influences. It emphasises the value of moving beyond blame to a holistic understanding of how daily environments shape children’s opportunities to eat well and be active.

Management focuses on sustainable change rather than quick fixes, and often begins with behaviour modification. This section explains how obesity can be treated using structured behaviour change strategies, such as goal setting, self-monitoring, positive reinforcement and problem-solving. It discusses interventions that improve diet quality and increase physical activity in ways that are realistic for families, and highlights the importance of family involvement in treating obesity so that changes are supported at home and embedded into everyday routines.

In more intensive or severe cases, a range of specific treatment methods may be considered. This section outlines the calorie restriction method of treatment and discusses its potential benefits and risks in children, alongside less commonly used approaches such as jaw wiring as a method to restrict intake. It introduces bariatric surgery as an obesity treatment in carefully selected adolescents, and explains key procedures including adjustable gastric banding and the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The section also provides an overview of drug treatments for obesity, discussing when pharmacological options may be considered, what they aim to achieve, and the need for careful monitoring and integration with lifestyle change.

Living with obesity in childhood affects more than physical health; it can shape how children see themselves and how they are treated by others. This section explores the medical consequences of living with childhood obesity, such as joint problems, sleep disturbances and reduced exercise tolerance, alongside the psychosocial consequences, including stigma, bullying, low self-esteem, body image concerns and social withdrawal. It explains how to address psychosocial factors sensitively, using supportive communication, collaboration with families, and referrals to psychological or social support when needed, so that interventions respond to the whole child rather than weight alone.

By the end of this course, you will be able to describe what childhood obesity is and how it is diagnosed, explain the main health risks and long-term consequences, and recognise the many factors that contribute to its development. You will understand the range of assessment tools and treatment options available—from behaviour modification, dietary change and physical activity through to surgical and pharmacological approaches—and appreciate the central role of families and psychosocial support in achieving sustainable change. Most importantly, you will be better equipped to assess and manage childhood obesity in a way that is safe, ethical, child-centred and focused on long-term health and wellbeing.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand:

·       The challenges to childhood obesity prevention efforts

·       Why obesity prevention is preferable to treatment?

·       What is childhood obesity?

·       What does too much fat mean?

·       The types of body fat

·       The historical views of obesity

·       How obesity is diagnosed?

·       How fats are precisely measured?

·       The body mass index (BMI)

·       The BMI-for-age growth charts

·       The skin folds tests

·       The waist circumference measurements

·       The nonimaging techniques to measure body fats

·       The increased health risks of childhood obesity including: metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, types 1 and 2 diabetes and cancer

·       How blood pressure is measured?

·       The complications of diabetes

·       How diabetes is diagnosed?

·       The long-term consequences of childhood obesity

·       The risks associated with childhood obesity

·       The many causes of childhood obesity

·       How to treat obesity with behaviour modification?

·       Treating obesity by improving the diet and increasing physical activity

·       The importance of family involvement in treating obesity

·       The calorie restriction method treatment

·       The jaw wiring treatment method for obesity

·       The bariatric surgery as an obesity treatment

·       The adjustable gastric banding for treating obesity

·       Treating obesity with the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

·       Drug treatments for obesity

·       The medical consequences of living with childhood obesity

·       The psychosocial consequences of living with childhood obesity

·       How to address psychosocial factors?

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.