More and more children and teenagers are suffering from childhood obesity. However, some small tricks can help you lose weight and reduce excess weight. Particularly serious consequences, such as diabetes or cardiovascular diseases, are associated with this.
Unfortunately, the health consequences are particularly unknown to children, as they only occur in the later years of life. In order to preserve the quality of life of children, but also future adults, parents should pay attention to the child's weight from an early age.
A healthy diet and exercise should therefore be an important part of education to avoid future problems with children's health and self-confidence.
If you want to know more about the childhood obesity, Continue reading this article we prepared for you!
What is childhood obesity?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as “an abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat that can harm health”.
In children and adolescents, it is sometimes difficult to identify it with the naked eye. Therefore, we must take into account the body mass index (BMI) and constitution curves established according to age and sex.
Ideally, the evolution of a child's body shape should be monitored two to three times a year to ensure that the child does not experience worrying weight gain.
Calculating body mass index (BMI) is extremely important for early detection of childhood obesity. BMI is also the only indicator approved by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In 2019, the WHO estimated that 38.2 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese worldwide.
And more than 340 million children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 19 were overweight or obese in 2016.
Causes of childhood obesity
Even if genetic predispositions are given, no child or adolescent is arbitrarily exposed to childhood obesity and must be fat. On the contrary, your own lifestyle plays a very important role.
Nowadays, television, computers and other consumer electronics often keep young people in their bedrooms. Many children do not get enough movement in their daily lives and eat high-energy foods at the same time.
Eating habits make it difficult to lose weight later on – a vicious circle develops. Excess energy cannot be broken down in the body, and therefore the preponderance is already pre-programmed at a child's age.
Consequences of childhood obesity
People who weigh too much often feel in their own skin that they are not well. Their clothes do not fit properly and their physical condition is poor. childhood obesity brings several other problems:
- Retreatment/depression
- Heavy bone wear
- Absent condition
- metabolic disorders
- circulation problems
Tips for preventing obesity in children and adolescents
Under no circumstances should children or adolescents be subjected to arbitrary weight loss diets.
They are still in the process of growth and associated development and need all the vitamins, minerals and trace elements in sufficient quantities. Therefore, a varied diet and a complete diet are appropriate.
This can help parents support their children with healthy weight loss:
Enjoy regular, varied meals in moderation
For children and adolescents: at least three meals should be consumed during the day. In addition, fresh fruits or vegetables can be served between meals when hungry.
In addition, teenagers do not need to do without pizza, fries, burgers and chips. But here it is important to consume everything in moderation and not in bulk, so that weight loss is successful.
Anyone who completely renounces his beloved food, sooner or later, with a huge desire, eats more than usual.
Finding the causes of sweet cravings
Many children and teens enjoy snacks like chips, gummies, or chocolate. Again, you don’t have to go without them. However, you should understand the cause of these cravings. This can help you control your snacking problem.
However, those who snack between meals eat nothing or less at important main meals. Food cravings are inevitable and so is a nutrient-poor diet.
Discover the world through new challenges and hobbies
The world is big and there is so much to discover. If you spend all day in front of the computer, you won't feel anything and you won't move much.
New hobbies, new challenges in the child's social environment can help create more opportunities for movement and shed extra pounds.
Going out, discovering the world and meeting people: this is how you move more automatically and the topic of food takes a back seat. This makes it easier to lose weight.
Have a gentle diet plan instead of crash diets for the goal
Diets where nothing is eaten provide only short-term success in weight loss. But it is not uncommon for the scales to show a little more weight later than before.
An eclectic nutrition plan with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and milk and dairy products provides adequate nutrition so the body can lose weight.
Iced tea, Coca-Cola, soda and other beverages should also be replaced with sugar-free drinks such as water and tea to help control excess weight.
