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
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