Childhood Obesity: When Junior Needs to Lose Weight
The number of people that includes adult and children alike has considerably increased in years. This is one of the most recognizable conditions but also one of the most difficult to treat. It has caused a significant number of deaths and this unhealthy condition of gaining weight abnormally is due to lack of exercise of plainly poor nutritional diet. If a person becomes obese during childhood then he or she is most likely to be an obese adult. Unless if they maintain healthier patterns or exercise and eating habits this will be frustrating and difficult to battle for the sufferer. Gaining a little more weight beyond normal will not immediately indicate obesity. However this may be a red flag for a need of change in terms of exercise and diet.
Generally a child’s weight is acceptable when it does not go beyond at least 10% higher to what is recommended and this is based on the body type and height of the child. Obesity mostly occurs during the ages of about 5-6 years and may continue during adolescence.
Causes of Obesity
Obesity may be caused by several things. It can be traced due to the biological, genetic, cultural and even behavioral factors. So as we see, obesity only happens when a person eats more calories than what the body is able to burn. Genetically speaking, one parent is obese then there is a 50 percent chance that their offspring would inherit this. Also, for some children who have psychological attacks due to some social pressures like peer pressure, they tend to eat more. But it has been known that obesity caused by this only appears to be a little over than 1% of the obese populace. So childhood obesity can be related to several factors and some would include:
- Low self-esteem
- Food binging
- Laziness or lack of exercise
- Family history of obesity
- Peer and family problems
- Emotional problems like depression and other problems alike
- Certain type of health medications
- Poor eating habits
- A medical illness or condition
- Major stressful events in life
Complications of Obesity
Whether an adult or a child, obesity is associated with a tendency for increased risk when it comes to emotional problems. Teenagers who are obese tend to be depressed, obsessive compulsive and very anxious. Some of the physical consequences would include high blood pressure, breathing problems, diabetes, insomnia, increased risk for heart problems and so many more.
Management of Obesity
Obesity in children should be diagnosed correctly and be evaluated medically by a family physician or a pediatrician to know the other possibilities of physical causes. If there is no physical disorder underlying it then the best way is to reduce the intake of calories and increase the child’s physical activities. Let him or her be engaged in sports where the child’s attention will be diverted into physical activities than into eating. Weight loss can be attained if there is motivation so here the parent plays a great role as a motivator to the child. Also in most cases obesity do not only occur into one member of the family so it is best that your family lives a healthy lifestyle and make exercise and eating a family activity. This will likely improve the chances of weight control for the child and will be easier to attain with the proper guide of the parents.
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