{"id":4656,"date":"2020-04-07T07:50:48","date_gmt":"2020-04-07T07:50:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/?p=4656"},"modified":"2023-10-12T12:45:00","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T07:15:00","slug":"childhood-obesity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/childhood-obesity\/","title":{"rendered":"Obesity in Children : Complications and Prevention"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Overview<\/h2>\n<p>Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. Children who are obese are above the normal weight for their age and height and are at higher risk of developing a range of health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression.<\/p>\n<p>More importantly, poor health stemming from childhood obesity can continue into adulthood.<\/p>\n<p>Did you know with around 14.4 million obese children, India has the second-highest number of obese children in the world, next to China.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the causes of Childhood Obesity?<\/h2>\n<p>Children become overweight and obese for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4714\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/1-3-1024x298.jpg\" alt=\"Causes\" width=\"950\" height=\"276\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Low self-esteem: Obese children often are bullied and suffer a loss of self-esteem.<\/li>\n<li>Depression: Low self-esteem can create overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, which can lead to depression in some obese children.<\/li>\n<li>Behavior and learning problems: Overweight children tend to have more anxiety and poorer social skills than normal-weight children.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What are the symptoms of Childhood Obesity?<\/h2>\n<p>Some of the most common <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/obesity-causing-foods-you-and-your-kids-must-avoid\/\">symptoms of childhood obesity<\/a><\/span> include:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4716\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/3-1024x610.jpg\" alt=\"Symptoms\" width=\"950\" height=\"566\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Appearance changes including\n<ul>\n<li>Stretch marks on the hips and abdomen<\/li>\n<li>Dark, velvety skin around the neck and in other areas<\/li>\n<li>Fatty tissue deposition in the breast area.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Poor self-esteem<\/li>\n<li>Eating disorders<\/li>\n<li>Shortness of breath when physically active<\/li>\n<li>Sleep apnea<\/li>\n<li>Constipation<\/li>\n<li>Gastroesophageal reflux<\/li>\n<li>Early puberty and irregular menstrual cycles in girls<\/li>\n<li>Delayed puberty in boys.<\/li>\n<li>Flat feet, dislocated hip<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How is Childhood Obesity diagnosed?<\/h2>\n<p>Measurement of height and weight are the most commonly used tools to quickly evaluate the proportionality of children. These measurements allow calculation of the body mass index (BMI).<\/p>\n<p>The doctor can use growth charts, BMI and other tests to assess if the child&#8217;s weight could pose health problems.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the prevention tips for Childhood Obesity?<\/h2>\n<p>Following measures can be taken to prevent childhood obesity:<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4717\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/4-1024x435.jpg\" alt=\"Prevention Tips\" width=\"950\" height=\"404\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Limit consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages<\/li>\n<li>Lack of physical activity, spending a lot of time in sedentary activities also contributes to the problem.<\/li>\n<li>Unhealthy eating habits such as fast foods can cause the child to gain weight.<\/li>\n<li>Genetic factors, If the child comes from a family of overweight people, he or she may be more likely to put on weight.<\/li>\n<li>Medical condition such as a hormonal problem<\/li>\n<li>Psychological issues, Children who are stressed or depressed may eat more to cope with negative emotions.<\/li>\n<li>Socioeconomic status, Children and adolescents that come from lower-income homes are at greater risk of being affected by obesity. Educational levels also contribute to the socioeconomic issue associated with obesity.<br \/>\n<h2>What are the complications associated with Childhood Obesity?<\/h2>\n<p>Obese children are more likely to develop a range of health problems, including:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4715\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/2-1024x586.jpg\" alt=\"Complications\" width=\"950\" height=\"544\" \/><strong>Physical Complications:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>High blood pressure or heart disease: A poor diet can contribute to the buildup of plaques in the arteries causing arteries to narrow and harden leading to a heart attack or stroke later in life.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/what-is-type-2-diabetes\/\">Type-2 diabetes<\/a><\/span>: Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.<\/li>\n<li>Sleep disorders: Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious disorder in which a child&#8217;s breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.<\/li>\n<li>Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): This condition usually causes no symptoms and causes fatty deposits to build up in the liver. NAFLD can lead to scarring and liver damage.<\/li>\n<li>Bone fractures: Obese children are more prone to bone fractures.<\/li>\n<li>Asthma: Children who are overweight or obese may be more likely to have asthma.<\/li>\n<li>Irregular menstruation: Overweight girls may have irregular menstrual cycles and fertility problems in adulthood.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Social and emotional complications:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Increase intake of\n<ul>\n<li>Fresh fruits and vegetables<\/li>\n<li>Lean proteins, such as chicken and fish<\/li>\n<li>Whole grains such as brown rice, whole-grain bread<\/li>\n<li>Low-fat dairy products including skim milk, low-fat yogurt.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Limit dining out, especially at fast-food restaurants<\/li>\n<li>Adjust portion sizes appropriately for age<\/li>\n<li>Limit screen time<\/li>\n<li>Ensure enough sleep for the child<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What is the importance of exercise in Childhood Obesity?<\/h2>\n<p>Regular physical activity including below is recommended to help prevent childhood obesity.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>At least 60 minutes of active play<\/li>\n<li>A variety of non-competitive activities at varying levels of intensity.<\/li>\n<li>At least 10 to 15 minutes of vigorous exercise.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-4718\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/5-1024x455.jpg\" alt=\"exercise\" width=\"950\" height=\"422\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It has various health related benefits such as:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Increases muscle strength<\/li>\n<li>Improves neuromuscular control<\/li>\n<li>Improves <span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/pathology-test\/lipid-profile-basic\">blood lipid profile<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li>Reduces the risk of sports-related injuries<\/li>\n<li>Controls weight<\/li>\n<li>Increases bone mass and density<\/li>\n<li>Improves self-esteem<\/li>\n<li>Reduces the risk of getting diabetes and other cancers at later stages in life.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. Children who are obese are above the normal weight for their age and height and are at higher risk of developing a range of health problems such as heart disease and diabetes. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":9224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1771],"tags":[1337,1338,1339,1341,1342,1343],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4656"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4656"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4656\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9225,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4656\/revisions\/9225"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lalpathlabs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}