Childhood Obesity

Being an adolescent is difficult and being overweight is difficult. I can’t even imagine what it must be like to be an overweight adolescent. The proportion of children and adolescents who are overweight has risen dramatically over the past few decades. There is also an increase in type 2 diabetes among overweight kids. Type 2 diabetes that begins in adolescence has tremendous health implications. The longer a person has this disease the greater the risk of complications. Being overweight as a teen also has psychosocial implications. At a time when fitting in with peer groups takes on a high priority and appearance is very important, the obese child may face discrimination and low self-esteem. Participation in physical activities may be limited and this establishes a cycle that can continue a lifetime. Being overweight as a child has immediate consequences and most likely is the beginning of a struggle that will persist into adulthood.

Loosing weight for a child is a much more complicated issue than it is for an adult. Adolescence is marked by dramatic changes, both physical and emotional. At no other time than infancy is the velocity of growth this high. This creates special nutritional needs that do not respond well to dieting. Along with this combine that kids are hanging out at pizza parlors, hamburger joints and other fast food places. Another nutritional issue related to weight gain is eating disorders. It is clear that care must be taken with the overweight child and adolescent, but where do you begin?

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians to prevent obesity respect your child’s appetite: children do not need to finish every bottle or meal, avoid pre-prepared and sugared foods when possible, limit the amount of high-calorie foods in the home, do not provide food for comfort or reward, do not offer sweets in exchange for a finished meal, limit television viewing, encourage active play and establish regular family activities such as walks, ball games and other outdoor activities. They also offer “Components of a Successful Weight Loss Plan”. These include setting up a reasonable weight-loss goal, not more than 5-10 pounds initially and not more than 1-4 pounds per month, dietary management, physical activity, behavior modification and family involvement.

”Weight Loss Guide” from keepkidshealthy.com offers insight on how many calories kids need, as well as how to help them loose weight. They offer information on motivation, setting goals, behavior modification, healthy eating habits, fitness, how to be a good role model and protecting self esteem.

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