The boy’s family was shocked, as there was not a family history of diabetes, Ting said. At 174.5cm tall, the boy weighed 95.9kg, with a body mass index (BMI) of 31.5kg per cubic meter — much higher than the average of 18kg per cubic meter for a boy his age, Ting said. The boy had also developed acanthosis nigricans, a condition where brown or black areas discolor the skin around the neck, armpits and other skin folds in people with obesity, Ting said. About 30 percent of elementary and junior-high school children nationwide are obese, Ting said, citing Ministry of Education data. However, if a child’s diet and exercise are improved at an early age, they are more likely than an adult would to reverse symptoms of obesity, Ting said.
