How well do you know childhood obesity?
Childhood obesity has become part of a group of metabolic diseases of concern. Likewise, it is a risk factor for developing other pathologies that, in general, are more common in adults.
So how much do you know about her? Are you really protecting your son as you should? These are reasonable questions that you should ask yourself. There is no doubt that there is always a solution, it is only a matter of finding out.
What is childhood obesity about? what you didn't know
It is usually rude for parents to admit that a child is obese. In other instances, others ignore that fact or often confuse this disorder with being overweight, when they are totally different terms.
Broadly speaking, obesity is an excessive and abnormal accumulation of fat. When the diet is rich in ultra-processed, sugary foods and saturated fats predominate, the excess clumps around the body as adipose tissue.
Usually, the determination of obesity in adults is carried out with the calculation of the body mass index (BMI). However, for pediatric ages, the diagnosis is different.
Diagnosis of childhood obesity in children under 5 years of age
The WHO (World Health Organization) created standard tables or graphs that take into account two anthropometric measurements. In themselves, these tools relate the weight:height or height ratio.
Throughout the graph, several curves or derivations are evident, both upwards and downwards. In this case, if the weight:height ratio equals or exceeds three standard deviations or deviations, it is certainly obesity.
And for those over 5 years old…
The diagnosis of childhood obesity for those over 5 years of age does not differ greatly. However, it boasts of other specific WHO tables that indicate certain growth patterns.
When the infant is two standard deviations above the average growth pattern, then it is obese. It should be noted that this measure is only applicable up to 19 years of age; henceforth, the BMI method is used.
Signs and symptoms of childhood obesity
Like any other metabolic disease, childhood obesity is characterized by a series of prevalent signs and symptoms. If this pathology is not known exactly, it can be markedly confused with the complexion or texture of the individual.
Usually, the main signs and symptoms of childhood obesity are related to the obvious sudden weight gain. As a result, others are triggered such as:
Drowsiness.
Anxiety for food, especially junk food.
Lack of attention.
Poor school performance.
Isolation and depressive pictures.
Although there is a long list of these clinical manifestations, these are the most transcendental and identifiable. Therefore, it is advisable to remain alert not only to the increase in body weight, but to these signs and symptoms in unison.
What causes obesity in children?
The causes of obesity in children are variable and are also overlapped by certain risk factors. As a whole, it is possible to discern the following topics or topics of interest:
Feeding
It is well known that feeding children is complex and requires perseverance to be optimal. Unfortunately, it is no secret to anyone that society makes the mistake of prioritizing ultra-processed foods that are high in calories and sugar.
Excessive consumption of this kind of "food" is the primary trigger for the onset of obesity in children. Although it is difficult to deal with it, it is essential to adopt a behavior or strategy that avoids dependence on these substances.
Sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise
At some point you may have heard that "children are a sponge" and yes, they are. They absorb the information around them as an example and imitate it over time.
Given this, when a sedentary lifestyle, lack of attitude and skills or lack of exercise predominate in the family, they will copy it. Hence, it is relevant to instill the value of mobility, activism and the benefits of a sporting or athletic life.
Family, psychological and/or socioeconomic factors
The family environment plays a leading role in the consolidation of childhood obesity. As you can imagine, if the child is in a family with overweight and obesity, he will be prone to developing such a condition.
On the other hand, if the same family stress directly influences the child's psyche, there will be psychological problems associated with obesity. Likewise, other common mental disorders such as depression, anxiety or attention deficits are taken into consideration.
Additionally, those families with limited economic resources, paradoxically, affect the presentation of this type of obesity. Clearly, they show a predilection for prepared or frozen foods that provide an incredible amount of extra calories.
How does childhood obesity affect?
By itself, childhood obesity is the gateway to a series of harmful health consequences and diseases. Indeed, it is not only linked to a performance or attention deficit, but to deeper conditions.
Knowing how childhood obesity affects you will help you understand that it is a latent factor for the following diseases and/or conditions:
Type II Diabetes Mellitus.
Arterial hypertension.
Various cardiovascular diseases.
Hypercholesterolemia (high levels of cholesterol in the blood).
Joint pain and recurrent fractures.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver.
Respiratory problems.
The last topic on the list is of special importance because it is the most frequent at this age. With respect to the others, they can appear, but progressively over time.
Respiratory problems in pediatric obesity are not just anything. In fact, they go hand in hand with bronchial asthma or obstructive sleep apnea.
Is it possible to prevent childhood obesity? Of course
Now that you understand how childhood obesity affects you, you probably don't want to go through its consequences. Given this, it is possible to prevent this pathophysiological condition with appropriate strategies:
Put together nutritional plans with food that is rich in macro and micronutrients, little processed and low in calories.
A good strategy is to reward the child with something he wants to do if this kind of healthy eating is difficult.
In the eyes of the infant, it is necessary and essential to set a good example in terms of nutrition.
Prepare food or recipes in different presentations so that they do not become repetitive or boring. Remember that children are attracted to bright and vivid colors.
Patience is a virtue. Do not despair or decay in the easy path of junk food.