Today, the problem of obesity in children is the most acute. A few decades ago, this issue did not exist, and now many parents clutch their heads, looking for a way to treat their child. The disease develops from early childhood, when chubby legs and arms are observed. Of course, we are not talking about well-fed babies now, because many lose weight with age, and the weight returns to normal. Here we are talking about the fact that parents cannot catch the moment when big cheeks develop into a serious problem. Why do children get overweight and how to deal with it? You will find answers to these questions in our material.
Main reasons
Many doctors are very worried about this pathology. After all, this is a negative trend, ignoring which can lead to terrible consequences. Therefore, many studies have been devoted to this problem in recent years.
So, the causes of obesity in children include:
- Wrong diet. Of course, this is the most common reason for the onset of the disease. The baby consumes significantly more calories than he needs. Accordingly, he is gaining extra pounds, and this process is difficult to stop. Necessaryreconsider the rules of child nutrition, exclude fast food, pastries and sweets.
- Heredity. Obesity in children also occurs due to the presence of excess weight in the older generation. According to the results of numerous studies, if one parent is overweight, the probability of the same diagnosis in a child is 40%. If mom and dad have a problem, the risk increases to 80%.
- Sedentary lifestyle. Modern life is full of entertainment of a computer nature. Obesity in children and adolescents appears due to lack of physical activity. Online games have replaced outdoor activities like football and volleyball. The situation is aggravated by the negative example of parents who relax in front of the TV, lying on the couch.
- Hormones. Violations in the work of the endocrine glands lead to obesity. There are several diseases that provoke the occurrence of excess weight. These include diseases of the adrenal glands, pancreas, thyroid gland, etc.
- Itsenko-Cushing syndrome. With this disease, there is an increased level of hormones responsible for the production of insulin. As a result, the baby has increased fat deposition, coupled with small growth.
Signs
The main symptom is appearance. In children, there is an increase in the layer of subcutaneous fat and fat deposition in the hips, back, sternum, etc. Other characteristic signs of obesity in children and adolescents can also be identified:
- excessive sweating, shortness of breathduring physical activity;
- high blood pressure, decreased performance;
- significant deformation of the figure, deposition of fat in various parts of the body;
- headache and dizziness;
- pain in muscles and joints.
Symptoms directly depend on the type of disease, we will talk about them a little later. Due to changes in appearance, the child often becomes depressed, his self-esteem decreases. Therefore, in addition to medical treatment, the baby will also need psychological help.
Classification of obesity in children
If parents notice changes in the external character of their child in time, the problem can be easily de alt with. To make it easier, as a result of research, specialists came up with a certain classification of obesity:
- Primary (alimentary, exogenous-constitutional).
- Secondary (e.g. endocrine).
There are four degrees of obesity in children:
- Baby's weight exceeds the normal rate by 15-25%. Outwardly, there are no special changes, the child seems a little well-fed. In most cases, parents do not see the problem at this stage, thinking that a good appetite is the key to good he alth.
- Here body weight exceeds the norm by 26-50%. The child has the first problems, it is difficult for him to climb the stairs, shortness of breath appears. There is increased sweating, the first signs of depression, swelling of the upper and lower extremities.
- Exceeds normal weight by 51-100%. In this situationthe baby feels constant pain in the joints, high blood pressure. The worst thing is that diabetes mellitus develops, and this is an incurable disease. In addition, obesity in children, especially the third degree, causes a lot of peer ridicule. This leads to psychological and emotional breakdowns.
- The baby's weight is more than twice the norm. As you understand, this is an advanced form of the disease, which is difficult to treat.
Danger of disease for the child
Overweight is not just an aesthetic problem. In addition to bullying peers, the disease can lead to other consequences. Including we are talking about diseases characteristic of adults. So what threatens obesity to a child?
If you ignore the symptoms or get to the point where treatment is useless, you can acquire a lot of diseases. Often, diabetes mellitus, liver dystrophy, cardiac ischemia, hypertension, etc. develop. Among other things, a person’s life is shortened, as the body weakens from year to year. The gastrointestinal tract of the baby is especially affected. Therefore, obese children are more likely to be diagnosed with diseases such as pancreatitis, cholecystitis, and fatty liver. The heart may also suffer, as there have been cases of atherosclerosis and angina pectoris.
But the most serious load falls on the skeleton, joints and cartilage. Every minute they have to withstand excess weight. Under such a mass, deformation of the organs is inevitable, which leads to a change in the proportions andextreme pain.
Problems of psychology
Obesity in children is a great reason for the rest of the guys to have fun and laugh. It's not their fault because they don't understand the seriousness of the situation. The parents are to blame. After all, they did not notice the change in the child in time. Obese adolescents find it incredibly difficult to communicate with their peers. It is difficult to establish contact with other guys, to adapt to the social environment. Plus, overweight babies often have trouble sleeping.
Children are cruel in their ignorance, and therefore they can make an outwardly different child an outcast. Unfortunately, childhood trauma leaves an imprint for life. Therefore, this situation calls into question the further life and the establishment of a family. In the case of a girl, if she gives up and does not fight the disease, the birth of a child is unlikely.
Parents should monitor not only good appetite, but also good he alth of the child. If you have already encountered such a problem, you must follow all the recommendations for the treatment of obesity in children from your doctor.
Diagnosis
Timely detection of the disease will stop the development of pathology in connection with the appointment of effective therapy. The first diagnosis is carried out by parents, evaluating the appearance of the baby. If it seemed to mom and dad that the child was overweight, you should immediately consult a doctor. The question arises: to which doctor should I take the child? For starters, in any case, it is worth visiting a pediatrician. In the future, if necessary, he will send youfor research to other specialists.
Diagnosis of obesity in children is based on the results of the following procedures:
- taking an anamnesis, in other words, the doctor conducts an in-depth interview to find out the characteristics of nutrition, physical activity, etc.;
- anthropometry - here the doctor registers indicators of height and body weight, waist circumference, hips and other necessary data;
- bioelectrical impedance method is a measurement of the thickness of the skin fold in comparison with adipose tissue.
To finally understand the causes of the pathology, the pediatrician sends the child to a neurologist, endocrinologist, nutritionist, cardiologist, psychologist, etc. Of course, this does not happen in all cases, but only if necessary. If you need to confirm the diagnosis, other therapeutic measures are also carried out: biochemical and general blood tests, ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland, magnetic resonance therapy of the pituitary gland.
How to lose weight?
Depending on the degree of obesity and the reasons that led to this condition, therapy is prescribed. The main task is to eradicate the roots of the problem. In any case, the most effective option is a comprehensive treatment that includes:
- proper nutrition;
- normalization of physical activity;
- drug therapy.
The full recovery period is quite long, so the solution of the problem must be taken seriously. Every stepit is necessary to coordinate with the attending physician, and also follow all his recommendations. So, let's look at the treatment methods in more detail.
Diet and exercise
Without proper nutrition and exercise, it is impossible to cope with the problem. These methods are aimed not only at weight loss, but also at preventing further relapse. If a child has a disease of the first degree, then he will be prescribed proper nutrition, with which you can reduce body weight. Other events are not assigned in this case.
Diet for obese children is compiled by an endocrinologist. The specialist takes into account the smallest details of the body and prescribes the most effective diet in each case. Sharp weight loss is unacceptable, it will only aggravate the situation. Therefore, the endocrinologist studies the body's need for proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins, and only after that makes up a diet.
Usually, all types of animal fat, pasta, sweets, cookies, semolina, etc. are completely excluded. Low-fat meats, low-fat cottage cheese and kefir are recommended for consumption. Bread can only be special, made from wholemeal flour, for example "Borodinsky". The main component of the diet is vegetables and fruits.
As for exercise therapy for obesity in children, the complex should include swimming, aerobics, athletics and outdoor games. To make it easy for a child to accustom to sports, parents should show their own example and encourage the child for achievements. Necessarystart small: take a walk with your baby for at least half an hour every day. At a minimum, this will improve the baby's well-being and prevent the development of complications.
Psychological help
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of psychology, namely the atmosphere in the family. The child will need constant support, which can only be given by the closest people. We need to convey the idea that we should not dwell on being overweight, we must live on.
As already noted, such children become objects of ridicule on the street. In especially difficult situations, the guys get used to the role of a clown and cannot get out of it. Then only the help of a qualified psychologist will save you. Much in the treatment of obesity in children depends on the involvement of parents. Recommendations for them:
- talk more with your baby, give him the support he needs;
- lead by example, give up unhe althy foods and diet with your child;
- organize a sports corner, instill a love of physical culture by your own example;
- encourage and praise your baby more, talk about his originality and uniqueness, celebrate even the smallest achievements;
- choose the right clothes for your child. Linen is perfect as a material, because it visually hides magnificent forms. This is necessary to eliminate complexes.
Drug therapy
This method is rarely prescribed, because its effectiveness is questionable. The essence of drug treatment is to reduce the level of appetite. In other words, the doctor prescribes drugs after drinking whichbaby won't want to eat for a while.
At the same time, most medicines that are theoretically able to cope with the problem are prohibited for children under 16 years of age. This method of therapy is used only at the third stage of obesity. Then the doctor may prescribe the following remedies:
- "Orlistat". A drug that inhibits gastrointestinal lipases.
- "Metformin". If obesity has led to diabetes, then this is the medicine that can help.
- "Phentermine". Psychostimulant, appetite suppressant.
Massage
During the diagnosis, doctors measure the size of adipose tissue. This is done in order to understand how much fat is deposited. If the problem lies in metabolic disorders, then one of the most effective remedies is massage. With it, you can do the following:
- improve metabolism;
- reduce fat deposits in certain areas;
- improve the general condition of the musculoskeletal system;
- normalize muscle tone;
- increase the efficiency and elasticity of muscle tissue.
Some children suffer from heart problems, in which case it is necessary to carry out the event with extreme caution. Only a qualified professional can massage this nature.
Surgery
We will not consider this method in detail, since it is practically not used for persons under 18 years of age. This is not necessary if the patient's conditionmore or less normal. Surgery (for example, bandaging or gastric bypass) is resorted to only if there are serious vital indications. For example, there is a high probability of death if the operation is not performed. Often, a radical method is used in relation to children who are diagnosed with the fourth degree of obesity.
Prevention
Preventive measures should be taken from infancy. An overfed child will not develop faster. But the disturbed metabolism is very difficult to restore. In fact, the prevention of obesity in children is similar to the treatment of this disease. In other words, it includes two main points: physical activity and proper nutrition.
From early childhood, teach your baby to eat he althy, avoid convenience foods, chips and soda. It is recommended to feed the baby four times a day, preferably at the same time.
As for teenagers, they often make a choice in favor of computer games. The task of parents is to interest the child in sports, it is necessary to encourage for any achievement, even the most insignificant. Do not forget about psychological support. If your child is overweight, act as his friend. In this case, even a long period of treatment will pass unnoticed.
Obesity in children is a very serious problem. Unfortunately, the trend is negative, and every year there are more and more such cases. Parents should carefully monitor the child's diet, motivate tophysical activities. It is best to set your own example, then it will be easier for the baby to adapt. To solve the problem globally, you need to fight it in every family.
