Obese Children Suffer Spinal Disc Herniations & Early Degeneration
Posted Dec 04 2009 12:00am
San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:
Executive Express Chiropractic has been helping adults and children with back and neck pain in downtown San Francisco for 18 years now ( formerly Front Street Chiropractic).
I just read a story on ABC News' website entitled:
"Back pain and degenerative disc disease are yet another problem associated with obesity in children, along with type 2 diabetes," Dr. Judah G. Burns, of The Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City reported here at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA 2009).
"Disc herniation and spinal disease are generally thought of as a problem of older people, but we're seeing it in obese youngsters, too. This is the first study to show an association between increased body mass index and disc abnormalities in children," Burns noted.
My Take: Well, I don't think we need research to realize that obese children will have higher incidence of back pain. And back pain may be the least of their problems. This is why it is so important to tackle this obesity problem from the inside out. We need to penetrate schools and educate teachers and parents (as well as doctors and legislators) on the benefits of plant based nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices. We also need to ramp up the media campaigns. There is too much money being spent on trying to pass laws (Health Care Bill) that only address the symptom (sickness) and not the problem (crappy diet & lifestyle choices). When will we get it?
But for now, it's up to parents to educate themselves on what they can do to save their children from early death and a life of misery. Understand...the answer is not a pretty colored pill or a magic surgery. The answer is "what's on the plate in front of you now". If you really care you can go to resources like www.drmcdougall.com and get all the information you need to help yourself and your children get started on a path to heath.
This is the kind of thing you can handle yourself if you put in the time. It's worth it...isn't it?
San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:
Executive Express Chiropractic has been helping adults and children with back and neck pain in downtown San Francisco for 18 years now ( formerly Front Street Chiropractic).
I just read a story on ABC News' website entitled:
Heavy Kids May Suffer Back Pain, Spinal Disc Woes
Here is an excerpt from the article:
"Back pain and degenerative disc disease are yet another problem associated with obesity in children, along with type 2 diabetes," Dr. Judah G. Burns, of The Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City reported here at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA 2009).
"Disc herniation and spinal disease are generally thought of as a problem of older people, but we're seeing it in obese youngsters, too. This is the first study to show an association between increased body mass index and disc abnormalities in children," Burns noted.
My Take: Well, I don't think we need research to realize that obese children will have higher incidence of back pain. And back pain may be the least of their problems. This is why it is so important to tackle this obesity problem from the inside out. We need to penetrate schools and educate teachers and parents (as well as doctors and legislators) on the benefits of plant based nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices. We also need to ramp up the media campaigns. There is too much money being spent on trying to pass laws (Health Care Bill) that only address the symptom (sickness) and not the problem (crappy diet & lifestyle choices). When will we get it?
But for now, it's up to parents to educate themselves on what they can do to save their children from early death and a life of misery. Understand...the answer is not a pretty colored pill or a magic surgery. The answer is "what's on the plate in front of you now". If you really care you can go to resources like www.drmcdougall.com and get all the information you need to help yourself and your children get started on a path to heath.
This is the kind of thing you can handle yourself if you put in the time. It's worth it...isn't it?
Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in the San Francisco Financial District.