- How to treat childhood obesity
- How to improve your child's nutrition
- How to make your child spend more energy and exercise
- Causes of childhood obesity
To help the overweight child lose weight, it is recommended to change the eating habits and daily activities of the whole family so that it is easier for the child to eat the right foods.
Childhood obesity is characterized by excess weight among babies and children up to 12 years of age. The child is identified as obese when his body weight exceeds the average weight by 15% corresponding to his age. This excess weight increases the child's risk of developing serious health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, difficulty breathing, sleep disorders, high cholesterol or liver problems, for example.
To find out how much weight your child needs to lose, enter your child's or adolescent's data here:
Childhood obesity in Brazil has been on the rise, mainly due to the lack of physical exercise by schoolchildren. Usually children prefer to watch television, on the computer or on their cell phones, but this type of activity should be a maximum of 1 hour a day so that she has time to run and play, making games that use energy.
How to treat childhood obesity
Treatment for childhood obesity should be done progressively and under the guidance of a pediatrician and a nutritionist.
Treatment for childhood obesity is usually based on changes in the child's diet and increased levels of exercise, depending on his age and general health. However, although rare, your doctor may recommend using medications to help decrease your appetite.
Watch the nutritionist's tips in the following video:
How to improve your child's nutrition
Parents should help the child to adopt healthy eating habits and, for that, some tips are:
- Avoid buying processed foods, which are sugary or fatty, such as crackers, pre-prepared meals; Buy a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and give preference to citrus fruits and vegetables eaten raw; Vegetables that need to be cooked, such as green beans, eggplant, zucchini or mushrooms should be prepared with steam, without salt and olive oil should be added in a small amount; do not offer the child sodas, giving preference to water and natural fruit juices; buy a child-sized dish; Prevent the child from being distracted during the meal, not allowing him to watch TV or play games;
These tips should be adapted according to the family's lifestyle and according to the nutritionist's guidelines.
Watch the following video and check out these and other tips on what to eat to help you lose weight in a healthy way:
How to make your child spend more energy and exercise
Regular physical exercise is essential to help your child lose weight. Some tips to help parents encourage exercise include:
- Limit the use of computers and television to up to 1 hour a day; Look for activities that the child enjoys; Encourage the family to participate regularly in outdoor activities; Allow the child to try various activities such as judo, swimming, karate, soccer school or dance, for example.
These tips prevent the child from maintaining a sedentary lifestyle, making it possible to maintain a healthy weight, regardless of hormonal changes specific to age.
Causes of childhood obesity
The causes of childhood obesity can be related to several factors, the most common of which are the excessive consumption of foods high in fat and sugar and the fact that the child does not want to play to expend energy, running, jumping or playing ball. Other less frequent causes are:
- Hormonal disorders, genetic diseases;
In addition, a family history of overweight or obesity can make it easier for a child to gain weight easily, since he or she adopts the family's lifestyle habits. Thus, childhood obesity can be caused by genetic inheritance from parents, it is important to know the factors that increase the chances of having an overweight child.
