Rapid treatment of obesity in children and adolescents

Overweight in children has become a global concern. What are the solutions to quickly treat obesity in children? The latest study conducted in 2023 shows us that 20% of children in our country are overweight or obese. Obesity generally has various complications and has a negative impact on the quality of life and health. Being overweight in children and teenagers can usually have more psychological consequences.

To quickly treat obesity in children, we must first know its cause and then take the necessary measures. In this article, we are going to talk about the problem of childhood obesity and its various causes, and then introduce the best solutions for the quick treatment of childhood obesity.

What is the cause of obesity in children and adolescents?

Obesity in kids and teens is different from obesity in adults (the adult BMI formula doesn’t work for kids), so it’s important for a doctor to determine if your child (or teen) is really obese or just going through a growth spurt.

Below, we mention the various causes of obesity in children and adolescents, and then we go to the solutions for the quick treatment of obesity in children. In most cases, child obesity is the result of a combination of several of the following.

1. Wrong lifestyle

Children who have an unhealthy and very high-calorie diet and do not exercise (or even move) and sleep enough are at risk of obesity. After the corona epidemic, many of our children unfortunately became housebound and addicted to digital devices, and this caused them to become obese and overweight.

2. Genetics

If the parents are obese, their child will probably be obese too! Many times, the body size and weight of the children are similar to their parents, and this is due to the genetics of the weight and due to following the family’s eating patterns. Parents who constantly eat soft drinks and fast food make their children accustomed to these foods and provide the conditions for their obesity.

3. Medical reason

Your child may have enough and good nutrition and exercise, but still be obese. Some children become overweight or obese due to illness or hereditary problems. Unbalanced hormonal status, hypothyroidism, very low metabolism, etc. are among the factors that will cause obesity in a child.

Finally, we must say that some children become overweight or obese due to the use of drugs. If you feel that your child has a specific disease that has caused him to be obese, or that the medications he is taking have had such an effect, talk to your pediatrician as soon as possible.

What are the complications of obesity in children and adolescents? Why is obesity in children bad?

Obesity in childhood can have a significant impact on physical and mental health and even social relations of the child, which will be with him after the childhood years. One of these complications is the persistence of obesity in adulthood.

For this reason, if your child or teenager is obese or overweight, be sure to help him and encourage him to have a healthy body and reach a suitable weight, and try the solutions to quickly treat childhood obesity.

Effects of obesity on children’s physical health

If your child becomes obese and remains obese throughout childhood, he will unfortunately be exposed to such risks.

• Type 2 diabetes: Diabetes is a chronic disease that changes the way a child’s body uses sugar (glucose). Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• High cholesterol and high blood pressure: A poor diet can cause your child to become obese and then develop one of these diseases (or both). In the long run, these factors can cause cardiovascular diseases or even stroke in adulthood.
• Joint pain: Excess weight causes extra pressure on body joints such as ankles and knees. Obesity in children can cause pain and sometimes injury in the hip, knee and back. In the absence of proper and timely treatment, unfortunately, these pains will remain with the child.
• Respiratory problems: Asthma is more common in overweight children. Obese children are also more likely to develop sleep apnea, a very serious disorder in which a child’s breathing stops repeatedly during sleep.
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): This disorder, which usually has no symptoms, causes fat deposits in the liver. Fatty liver disease carries the risk of ulceration and liver damage.

Effects of obesity on the social and emotional status of the child

If no action is taken to quickly treat obesity in children, they may be bullied and ridiculed by their peers. Such experiences leave a great emotional trauma that can damage your dear child’s self-esteem. Unfortunately, obesity in children puts them at risk of depression and anxiety.

Another bitter side effect of obesity in children is that it can affect their academic performance. Studies show that there is a significant relationship between childhood obesity and academic problems, which is probably due to low self-confidence, lack of motivation and chronic anxiety caused by obesity.

Rapid treatment of childhood obesity

Now we come to the quick treatment of obesity in children! It doesn’t matter if your dear children are overweight due to genetics or simply because of eating too much junk food, lifestyle changes for you (as a whole family) are key solutions to successful weight loss and quick treatment of obesity in your children. is

In the first step, it is very important that the goals you set for your children are realistic. Also, many times at this stage, it is necessary to consult a doctor to make sure that your children’s obesity is not due to a disease. When you are sure that the cause of your child’s obesity is not a specific disease, you can help them with the following solutions.

Change your meal plan and modify it!

Usually, the cause of obesity in children is due to the family’s wrong food pattern. It means that healthy and nutritious foods are not consumed in the family, and instead very unhealthy and high-calorie foods are eaten (such as soft drinks, fast food, and fatty foods). In this case, to quickly treat obesity in children, the family’s food pattern should be modified to improve the child’s taste and weight.

Healthy and nutritious foods include a variety of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean protein foods, and low-fat dairy products.

Do not buy soda, factory juice, cake, chocolate, ice cream and chips at all or only on very special occasions. Prepare suitable snacks for your children; For example: fruit smoothie, carrot, frozen yogurt with fruit, bread with peanut butter.

Of course, if you as a family eat healthy foods and your child is overweight, then you need to check other things or discuss this issue with a doctor.

Encourage the child to be physically active!

Eating healthy is half of the weight loss and fitness equation. Regular physical activity is the other half. But what is the best type of physical activity for obese children?

Any activity he likes! Sports such as swimming, gymnastics, skating, dancing, cycling, for children and ball sports, martial arts and bodybuilding for teenagers can be suitable options. Of course, his interest is the most important factor. Pay attention to the following points when doing sports for children and teenagers:

• If your child has not been active in the past, start slowly. Intense physical activity and competitive sports are initially not suitable for an obese child who is not physically fit. Start by walking just 20 minutes a day.

• Your child’s physical activity should be fun and enjoyable for him. This activity should be appropriate to his developmental level and ability and never make him feel inadequate or stressed. In this case, his self-confidence will increase and he will be motivated to continue exercising. It is recommended that the whole family decide to have physical activity and exercise for the quick treatment of obesity in children so that their children also become interested.

• Bodybuilding can be a good option for teenagers; Because they burn calories well during exercise and their calorie burning process continues even during rest. This sport also increases the self-esteem of teenagers. We only recommend that you prepare a proper and specific diet-exercise plan. A program that is designed according to the physical condition of your teenager so as not to harm him.

Set the family sleep schedule!

Good and sufficient sleep helps prevent a series of diseases, including type 2 diabetes and obesity. Children who do not get enough sleep are at risk of gaining weight. To regulate the child’s sleep, turn off the phone, tablet and TV at least 1 hour before bedtime. This work can be a big step for the rapid treatment of obesity in children.

Limit the time you use your phone and tablet!

The time when the child holds the phone and tablet must be limited. Excessive use of the phone reduces the quality of his sleep, harms his mental health, and causes him to sit still and gradually become obese.

Make your child feel valued!

There is a very critical issue to quickly treat childhood obesity, and that is to focus on his health, not his body’s appearance! Appearance should not be a priority for a child. Blaming and feeling guilty about your child’s body shape or size will make him very anxious, upset and heartbroken, and such bitter conversations should never happen.

The treatment of obesity, like other chronic diseases (such as asthma), should be for the health of the child, not to reduce the size and slim the body.

What can parents do to treat obesity in children?

In general, exercise and following a healthy diet help to quickly treat obesity in children and adolescents, but it is not enough alone. Parents play an important role here and can help their child lose weight by creating a healthy lifestyle and a supportive environment. Observance of the following by the family can be very effective:

• Do not prepare unhealthy foods (soda, juice, chips, sweets, sausages) at all!
• Instead, take home healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, protein foods.
• Whole grains and lean protein are readily available at home.
• Be sure to give your child regular and healthy snacks.
• Go for a walk, bike ride, or any other sport together as a family.
• Help your child find healthy ways to deal with stress and avoid overeating.
• Always support your child emotionally and show your love and support. Never, under any circumstances, have negative and blaming conversations about weight with him.
• Get help from a specialist for your child’s exercise program and nutrition plan.

final word

Obesity and overweight in children and adolescents can be due to unhealthy diet and lifestyle or genetics and the presence of a certain disease. To quickly treat obesity in children and teenagers, we must first find the main reason and then take the necessary measures. In this article, we have introduced various strategies to control obesity in children and adolescents.

Resources: clevelandclinic – children’s hospital – mayoclinic