Seeking Solutions to Childhood Obesity

by KYW's medical editor Dr. Brian McDonough

We know the problem. We talk about it often. A growing number of our children are fighting obesity and are at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

There are many reasons for this but, according to a study out of Britain, one major reason might be a common type of sugar in foods. Fructose may cause certain fat cells in children to multiply faster, which might play a key role in childhood and adult obesity.

Fructose is a component of high-fructose corn syrup, which is widely used in a variety of foods, including soft drinks, candy and many processed foods. Critics say the study is flawed because it was performed in a laboratory setting, but it clearly provides insight into one of the major reasons we are fighting childhood obesity.

The cells that the researchers are talking about are called pre-adipocytes -- the cells that eventually turn into fat cells. Those cells can contribute to a lifetime of obesity.