Childhood obesity is excessive weight gain in childhood, which can cause low self-esteem and symptoms such as difficulty breathing during sleep, knee pain and easy fatigue during physical activities.
Most of the time, childhood obesity is caused by unhealthy eating habits and an inactive lifestyle, but it can also arise due to hormonal imbalances or specific genetic syndromes, in some cases.
Read too: Obesity: what it is, degrees, types, causes, consequences and treatment
If you suspect childhood obesity, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician, who is the best doctor to carry out an initial assessment of the child’s growth and check whether the weight is actually above that recommended for their age and height.
Main symptoms
The main symptoms of childhood obesity are:
- Excessive weight gain;
- Eating excessively;
- Easy fatigue when doing physical activities;
- Low self-esteem;
- Snoring and/or pauses in breathing during sleep;
- Pain in the knees, ankle and/or hip.
It is common that, as weight gain is normally slow, the development of childhood obesity is not noticed as easily, especially when the child was already overweight.
How to confirm the diagnosis
The diagnosis of childhood obesity is normally made by a pediatrician by assessing the child’s weight, height and calculating the child’s BMI. Check out what a child’s BMI is and how to calculate a child’s ideal weight.
If you want to make an appointment, you can find the pediatrician closest to you using the tool below:
In addition, the doctor may also recommend tests, such as measuring TSH, free T4 and cortisol in the blood, to identify whether there is any disease that may be contributing to excessive weight gain.
Causes of childhood obesity
The main causes of childhood obesity are:
1. Inadequate nutrition
An inadequate diet, with many fatty and/or sugar-rich foods, such as soft drinks, biscuits, snacks, fast-food and sweets, for example, is one of the main factors related to childhood obesity.
2. Sedentary life
Not exercising regularly causes the body to use fewer calories than the person ingests, favoring weight gain. Nowadays, children have become more sedentary, preferring electronic games, computers and TV, which, combined with excessive eating, leads to excess weight.
3. Side effect of medicines
The use of medications, such as corticosteroids, anticonvulsants and antipsychotics, can affect metabolism and cause excessive weight gain in some children as a side effect.
4. Hormonal imbalances
Hormonal imbalances due to hypothyroidism, excess cortisol in the blood or growth hormone deficiency, for example, can promote weight gain and, when not treated properly, lead to the development of obesity.
5. Genetic changes
Although genetic predisposition can also influence weight gain, there are genetic changes that lead to the development of specific syndromes that greatly increase the risk of obesity, such as Prader-Willi syndrome. See what Prader-Willi syndrome is and the symptoms.
How the treatment is carried out
Treatment for childhood obesity depends on the child’s age, cause and severity of the case, but most often involves changing eating habits, such as limiting the consumption of junk foods. fast-food, soft drinks and sweets, and increase the consumption of foods rich in fiber, vegetables and fruits. See what nutrition should be like for overweight children.
It is also important that the child remains active, and the practice of physical activities and games that help to expend energy should be encouraged.
In cases where childhood obesity is related to genetic changes or hormonal imbalances, treatment must be specific to the change and must be carried out according to the doctor’s recommendation.
How to avoid childhood obesity
To prevent childhood obesity, you must:
- Ensure that the child can sleep enough at night;
- Control the time spent using screens such as cell phones, televisions or tablets;
- Develop healthy eating habits;
- Limit the consumption of unhealthy foods, such as sweets, junk foods, fast-food and soft drinks;
- Encourage physical activity and, for young children, active play.
Childhood obesity increases the risk of health problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, especially in adulthood. Therefore, it is important to take appropriate measures to prevent its development.
