What is the measure of their child's health for loving parents? That's right, a good appetite. This echoes the difficult childhood of our grandmothers. But half a century has passed since then, and living conditions have changed. Today's children do not have to plow in the garden from dawn to dusk, or walk kilometers to get to school. Instead, they sit around the clock, first at a desk, then at lessons, then at a computer.
Before the 21st century, there was no such thing as today's high-calorie and cheap fast food. It is naive to think that children get it only in fast food restaurants. Many families have stopped cooking for a long time – they buy ready-made products stuffed with flavor enhancers that only whet the appetite.
Who is considered fat?
Someone believes that with age the child will stretch and lose weight on his own. Someone simply does not notice the extra pounds of his child. As a result, in most cases a teenager ends up seeing an endocrinologist when his weight exceeds 100 kg! At the same time, his medical card is literally written out by doctors, but the parents are firmly convinced: the child eats little, moves a lot – he goes to the sports section once a week, but for some reason he is gaining weight. Apparently, something with hormones.
Indeed, sometimes excess weight is associated with genetic diseases, when a child lacks a stop sign in food. But such cases are less than 1%. The reason for excess weight in others is family eating habits, lack of food culture and hereditary predisposition. If one parent is fat, in 30% of cases the child will reach the same size. When both parents are overweight, the probability of obesity in a child reaches 60%. But even such a situation is not fatal. Physical activity and healthy eating help control the manifestation of these genes. That is, the tendency to gain weight remains, but a person can successfully counteract it. There would be a desire.
What are the dangers of obesity?
Excess weight is both an aesthetic problem (stretch marks, fat folds on a young body, acne) and a psychological one (the child begins to be ashamed of his appearance). But it also puts enormous pressure on all body systems.
In terms of endocrinology, obesity is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. If it begins at a young age, the risk of premature death is enormous.
Obesity is infertility: both male and female. Adipose tissue produces estrogens. In girls, their excess can lead to premature puberty. In boys, excess estrogen, on the contrary, suppresses the production of male hormones, which can cause delayed sexual development.
Obesity is a chronic fatty liver disease (hepatosis), which can lead to cirrhosis. During the period of active growth, when bone tissue has not yet formed, problems with joints and the spine begin due to excess weight.
Obesity is also a sleep apnea syndrome – cessation of breathing during sleep. Early atherosclerosis, arterial hypertension, ischemic heart disease – these diseases are significantly younger “thanks” to obesity.
How to calculate excess weight
Overweight in children and adolescents is determined using special height and weight tables – separately for boys and separately for girls. In case of excess body weight, a pediatrician will help adjust the weight through physical activity and diet, obesity requires serious observation by an endocrinologist and nutritionist.
If a child is involved in sports, a simple determination of body weight will not work for him, overestimated data may be obtained due to muscle mass. This method is also not suitable for children with small stature. Then excess weight is determined by the thickness of the folds.
The main enemy
Don't want your child to get fat and sick? Then remove fried potatoes, chips, raw smoked sausages, hamburgers, and soda from the table. And daily physical activity is necessary, at least an hour a day.
