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Kids As Young As 10 Getting Heart Disease


  • Obesity problem worsening

  • Obese toddlers require hospital admission

  • Fizzy drinks, junk food and lollies at fault

Some toddlers are becoming so obese they need to be admitted to hospital, according to a Victorian obesity expert.

Dr Matt Sabin, co-head of the Royal Children's Hospital weight management clinic warns the obesity crisis is worsening rapidly, citing three-year-olds weighing 35kg and 15-year-olds carrying 200kg presenting for treatment at the clinic.

"We're not talking about a little bit of extra weight, we're talking about severely obese children," Dr Sabin said.

"It is getting worse - the numbers are not getting higher but the degree of obesity is getting worse."

Dr Sabin says he also sees:


  • Families who feed their children fast food every night of the week

  • Obese kids with adult medical conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and early-stage liver disease

  • Toddlers regularly drinking fizzy drinks and eating chips and lollies

About 60 patients at the Royal Children's Hospital’s child obesity clinic have type 2 diabetes, reports Dr Sabin, who says they are getting younger. Most are about 14-18 years of age, but some are as young as 10.

"Five years ago, one child every three or four months was being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, now it's one every three or four weeks," he said.


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