Childhood obesity is a growing and worrying problem for a few years. However, far from being solved, pediatricians are watching how the problem is getting bigger over time.
In a series of posts we are commenting on the main aspects of this table, in order to bring to any father and mother (or person interested in this topic) all the necessary information that allows him to face (better prevent) this situation.
In a previous post we already commented that this problem must be addressed from the root, since not doing so in a few years we can find the problem that an obese population poses: greater health risks, greater number of diseases, casualties, disabilities and therefore until repercussion in the economy and the progress.
In this post we define what is obesity and explain the main reasons that trigger it. In subsequent posts we will see the symptoms and the consequences that it can produce, how it is usually studied and how the treatment can be focused, which we can anticipate that it should always be preventive and based on education in healthy habits.
What is obesity in young children
Obesity is a picture in which a child has an inappropriate weight for his sex, age and height. A lower degree would be overweight, which is why the evaluation should always be done by a pediatrician, since the approach in both cases may be different, depending on many factors.
Obesity itself is not a disease, but a risk factor for disease and to reduce the quality of life (present and future) of the children who suffer from it.
Obesity in young children is a serious, worrisome issue that can never be taken lightly. It is as important to prevent it as to properly focus it in case it occurs.
Why obesity occurs in young children
It is very simple: there is an imbalance between intake and caloric expenditure. And period Do not look for more reasons or excuses. It is true that there are many situations that can lead to this point, but all of them can be included in two large groups:
Most cases (more than 95%) are called genetic or nutritional cases. These are seen in normal and normal-sized children in which there is usually an excess of calorie intake with respect to what is spent. This generates a positive balance that causes excess calories to be stored in the body as fat.
It is true that these cases may be influenced by certain genetic factors, such as some hormones that control the feeling of hunger or satiety and the accumulation of fat.
But in most cases the triggers are environmental, that is, there are inappropriate eating habits that cause the child to eat more calories than he needs.
Among those bad habits are the snack between meals, the abuse of fast food or industrial pastries, sweets and sugary drinks.
Also remember that these foods have a low nutritional value, especially compared to classic foods of the Mediterranean diet, which may have equal or more calories, but they satisfy the child more easily (with what they eat less) and also They provide high value nutrients.
Another high-risk environmental factor (and a problem today) is a sedentary lifestyle: inactivity, lack of exercise and lack of movement suffered by children cause the calories consumed are not spent, which also creates problems of lack of appetite or insomnia, since exercise, in addition to stimulating growth and physical and psychological development, allows children to sleep better at night.
5% of the remaining cases of obesity are called endogenous or intrinsic. These are caused by genetic diseases, hormonal disorders or even some drugs. They are children that generally associate other problems (inherent to the associated disease) and that in many cases do not usually have a normal size for their age.
In summary, we can affirm that the vast majority of cases of childhood obesity are caused by an imbalance between consumption and calorie expenditure, which in many cases could be relatively solvable.
The problem lies in the fact that if we combine a relatively little varied diet but rich in foods of low nutritional value (industrial pastries, sweets, sugary drinks) and sedentary lifestyle, the positive balance, although small, will end up generating an inappropriate weight.
In the next post we will address the main symptoms and consequences that this important picture can generate. Of course We encourage all parents who wish to participate in the comments in order to comment on the most important aspects and thus be able to influence them more in the next post.
