6 Things You Should Know About Childhood Obesity and How to Avoid It
Everyone now knows what obesity means and it represents a serious health problem for those who have it. But, what exactly is considered obesity? How does obesity affect health and how harmful is it in childhood? Here is some information that all parents should have access to.
1. What is considered obesity?
Obesity is when a person presents a body weight in fat, above normal for his age, height and sex. The normal index is between 18.25 and 25 and if the person has a body mass index above 25, she is overweight, over 30, it is considered obese and may present degrees of morbidity.
This is a problem that has come out of the adult sphere and hit children, compromising health, self-esteem, socialization and their future. Information is still the best strategy to combat this evil that causes heart problems, hypertension, diabetes among others.
According to the World Health Organization obesity is currently a public health problem as serious as malnutrition.
2. Is your child fat or obese?
To calculate the BMI, use the following formula: IMC = P x h² where P is the body weight and h² is height squared. For example: If your child weighs 30 kg and has a height of 1.10, divide 30 by 1.10 ², so first calculate the height squared: 1.10 x 1.10 = 1.21, then divide the weight By height: 30/1.21= 24.79 – the result is well below 30, which means your child is within normal weight.
3. Genetics and habits
Genetics have a great influence on body weight, but it is the habits that determine it. When a child has an obese parent, his or her odds of developing obesity may reach as high as 80 percent, while if it is only a single parent, the rate drops to as much as 40 percent.
However, thin parent and mother still have the possibility in 10% of having obese child. In the distant past, our fat ancestors were the ones who survived adverse situations and passed their genes to their offspring.
4. Risk factors for obesity
In addition to genes, other factors contribute to childhood obesity such as:
Getting Fat During Pregnancy – Doctors have proven a close relationship between mothers who gain a lot during pregnancy and obesity in the early years of the child’s life. In addition there is the risk of the onset of gestational diabetes and hypertension, which make pregnancy high risk.
Being diabetic – the diabetic mother has several risk factors, including diabetic pregnancy is always considered high risk, since diabetes, in addition to the evils of itself as probability of fetal malformation, cardiac abnormalities, etc., also favors the emergence of hypertension.
This can cause serious problems during pregnancy and in labor and/or premature labor. When the mother is diabetic the baby gets high doses of glucose from the mother and insulin from the pancreas itself, causing, GIG birth (Great for gestational age), and postpartum hypoglycemia, which is a risk to the baby’s health and can Future cause of exacerbated appetite and obesity.
5. Prevention is the best medicine
Childhood obesity can bring type II diabetes, hypertension, and other metabolic problems. It is also a risk factor for obesity in adulthood, spine, circulation and heart problems. That is why prevention should start already in the gestation.
Avoid gaining more weight than expected during pregnancy. Have good eating habits and exercise as directed by your doctor.
Breastfeed your child – breastfeeding children are less prone to obesity.
Avoid flours in the bottle and avoid giving milk other than the mother. Only do it if you can not breastfeed.
Do not offer sweets, cookies and other sugary treats to your children. All the energy they need is provided through their cereals, vegetables, fruits and meat.
Encourage exercise and outdoor play in the sun and limit time in front of the computer, TV and video game.
6. Treat obesity
Like all diseases, obesity also needs to be treated. If your child is overweight or obese, do not protect, for the sake of his health. For this the medical consultation is important, identifying the cause and specifying the treatment whether with medicines or not, diet and physical activity.
It is possible to help your children combat the habit of obesity, over eating and also excessive drinking
