A study by scientists at St. Louis University has shown that more children and teens are undergoing treatment for obesity related health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and depression. The research, published in the US journal Pediatrics, also showed that children and teens between 5 and 19 have also shown an increase in drugs for asthma and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which aren't related to obesity. Also children’s medical prescriptions for the most common form of diabetes doubled between 2002-2005

Donna Halloran, MD, a professor of pediatrics at St. Louis University said, "The main message of our study is that we are using chronic medication a lot more than we used to. We know obesity causes other medical complications, like diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems, and depression. More medication use is not bad," Halloran added. "Better diagnosis for all these things is good. High blood pressure needs to be treated. Asthma also, and diabetes and depression."

In the study Halloran and colleagues studied prescription claims data for more than 3.5 million commercially insured youngsters between 5 and 19, covering the period 2002 to 2005. Medication for type 2 diabetes for five to 19 year-olds increased by 103 % with girls showing an increase of 147% as compared with boys 38.7%. Prescriptions for asthma increased 46.5%, while those for attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity increased by 40 % being three times more prevalent among boys than girls while cholesterol treatments rose 15%.

Halloran said, "We are seeing more disease, better detection of disease, and more use of medication. We don't know the risks for long-term medication use, but better diagnosis is a good thing."

Robert Geller, MD, a professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, said it's likely more youngsters are taking drugs for ADHD because "there's been a reduction in the stigma" associated with those conditions. Now people are more willing to admit it and get appropriate help," he says.

Halloran recommends families revamp their lifestyle by stopping salt rich fast foods and drinking high calorie sodas and incorporate healthy food and more physical fitness activity into their life. "We are seeing more high cholesterol in children, we think related to the obesity epidemic. Good cholesterol, or HDL, is dramatically affected by exercise in a positive way. And LDL, the bad cholesterol, is dramatically affected by diet."

The researchers say their findings "hold important implications for children's health and health care costs in the United States." They concluded saying that the "Prevalence of chronic medication use in children increased across all therapy classes evaluated. Additional study is needed into the factors influencing these trends, including growth in chronic disease risk factors, greater awareness and screening, and greater affinity toward early use of drug therapy in children."