What to do if your child is obese or overweight
Children who have problems with weight tend to accuse it both physically and mentally
Nobody is aware that obesity or being overweight is a growing health problem and more and more children are suffering from this disease . In relation to children, it must be said that obesity or being overweight does not have the same characteristics as in the case of adults. It is the parents’ job to prevent things from getting worse and to put a stop to the issue of being overweight as quickly as possible.
Index
OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY
Being overweight or obese is nothing more than excess fat throughout the body . To find out the amount of fat, use the body mass index, which is obtained by dividing the person’s kilos by the centimeters that are squared.
In the case of adults, it must be said that obesity is considered when the BMI exceeds 30 and overweight between 25 and 29 . In the case of children, a series of tables must be taken into account in which the age and sex of the child are taken into account.
WHY IS IT THAT A CHILD IS OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE?
It is rare that excess weight in a child is due to some type of disease. The normal and most common thing is that being overweight or obese is due to a strong imbalance between the calories ingested and those expended. Apart from this, there may be certain risk factors:
- Weight problems are more normal in boys than in girls .
- Genetics also has a lot to do with one child being fatter than another.
- Birth weight is another risk factor and is that a child with a high birth weight has a high risk of being overweight in adulthood.
- The diet that is followed in the first three years can influence the fact that the child may have weight problems in the future .
- Another risk factor is the fact that the baby feeds on breast milk during the first months of life. It has been shown that breastfeeding infants are less likely to be obese in the coming years.
- Regular exercise is also a factor that can directly affect obesity in children. Playing a lot of sport from childhood is not the same as having a less active life .
- Poor sleep and fewer hours than recommended also cause a child to have weight problems.
CONSEQUENCES OF BEING OBESE OR OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN
Children who have problems with weight tend to accuse it both physically and mentally . Psychologically, overweight children often have serious problems with self-esteem, security, and some difficulty in making friends.
In the physical aspect, obese children usually have problems when it comes to falling asleep and certain respiratory, muscle or bone problems. In addition to this, they are more prone to developing diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
WHAT TO DO IF THE CHILD IS OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE
The first thing to do is take him to the pediatrician for a physical examination . In most cases, a blood test is performed to make sure of the cause that causes such excess weight. In some cases, an examination of the skeletal system is usually performed to observe their age.
CAN OBESITY IN CHILDREN BE TREATED?
When treating a child’s overweight, several aspects must be taken into account and people close to the child are fully involved such as the family, teachers or doctors .
The first thing to do is to eat a healthy and balanced diet . You have to put aside the so-called junk food and avoid sugars or refined flours.
Another aspect to improve in the child’s life is to practice sports on a regular basis . In the most extreme cases, the little one may undergo surgery to make weight loss as fast as possible.
Dr. Tabriella Perivolaris, Sara's mother and fan of fashion, beauty, motherhood, among others, about the female universe. Since 2018 she has been working as a copywriter, always bringing to her articles a little of her experience and experience as a mother and woman.