When I was researching data about childhood obesity my hubby was doing an ecourse on pediatric nutrition. Sharing notes ,we realized childhood  obesity like adult obesity ,doesn’t only depend on food.

Food choices are important

Amount of food is important.

But another thing which was staring us in the eye was lifestyle.

If you have read about the two hit theory regarding  adult disease in my post

Mommy blame yourself. 

You will understand the second trigger most is often lifestyle.

Childhood obesity important to be addressed because it’s a health hazard . When  we teach our children  to embrace their bodies and stop obsession with their weight and how they look .It’s important  to be clear about healthy body image.

Just like focusing on how they look doesn’t help  Not giving attention  to the cause of the issue has lifetime implication.Obesity is unfortunately not a physical disease.It’s a psychological problem.Parents need to have a long hard look at themselves

Causes of childhood obesity is multiple and multifactorial.

Broad classification is possible if you insist on it.

2 major divisions

Exogenous :Environment ;lifestyle and psychosocial .Definitely more common

Genetic susceptibility
Endogenous :Endocrine disorders like  hypothyroidism ,Prader -Willi  syndrome ,single gene diseases (congenital leptin deficiency :leptin is your satiety hormone.

This sounds good while writing a paper.Definitely  not useful while treating the problem.

Viruses ,gut microbes,excessive stress (second hit)  are all under investigation.

Most promising  results are with the reversible causes of obesity

They include :

• Circadian rhythm
• Sleep medications
• Stress
• Psychosocial
• Sedentary behaviour
• Lack of physical exercise
• Dietary behaviour

Currently these are  the focus of treatment  as well as hocus pocus.

When children  are obese in childhood their fat cells become fat.Even when they lose weight or fat from theses cells.The size of the cell remains the same.

Makes these children prone to weight gain.

From one year of age ,there is a difference in the rate of adipocyte development  in obese and non obese children.

Problems and complications:

• Snoring,daytime drowsiness
• headache
• Shortness of breathing
• Binge eating
• Limb or join pain
• polyuria
• menstrual irregularities .

When you gave  birth ,you signed up for a lifelong battle.That to teach her /him to be healthy, wealthy and wise.

So if you are not at your best, weight wise,it’s important you  take a  look in th mirror.Make an action plan for yourself before you talk to your child.

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UBC day 7