Childhood obesity
Many parents may consider a child’s overweight to be normal, but it can actually lead to a variety of health problems, both physical and mental (low self-esteem and depression). One of the best strategies to reduce childhood obesity is to improve the eating habits and physical activity of the whole family. Treating and preventing childhood obesity can protect your child’s health now and in the future.
The causes of childhood obesity
Childhood obesity is mainly the result of an imbalance between energy consumption and energy use, which is caused by several different factors, including:
Eating habits and lifestyle – Consumption of high energy foods or drinks combined with a lack of regular exercise.
Heredity – It has been found that children who have obese parents or siblings are more likely to be obese. However, it is now thought that obesity is the product of both hereditary and environmental causes, such as diet and lifestyle.
Hormonal disorders – Hormonal deficiency, hypothyroidism and excess glucocorticoid hormones are hormonal disorders commonly found in overweight children.
Diseases or syndromes – Conditions such as Prader Willi syndrome or pseudohypoparathyroidism are often seen in overweight and short children.
Health problems related to childhood obesity
Childhood obesity can affect a child’s physical and mental health in the following ways:
- Dyslipidaemia, which can lead to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes or metabolic disorders due to excessive carbohydrate consumption
- Bone or joint disorders, such as scoliosis, bow legs or flat feet
- Skin conditions, such as fungal infections or susceptibility to skin infections
- Snoring and sleep apnoea
Irregular menstruation in women, leading to infertility in adulthood - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the most common cause of liver disease in children
- Low self-esteem and depression
Diagnosing childhood obesity
If a child is found to be at risk of obesity, doctors can :
- Calculate the child’s body mass index (BMI), which is the ratio of weight (kg) to height (m 2 ). The child’s BMI result is compared to the BMI-for-age table. If the child’s weight is above the 95th percentile of the table, he or she is considered obese.
- Perform blood tests to check:
– Cholesterol level
– Fasting blood sugar levels
– Hormone levels, which may be abnormal in obese or overweight children, such as thyroid and insulin levels.
