There are various factors that can cause children to be obese, ranging from heredity, certain diseases, to unhealthy eating patterns. This condition needs to be considered by every parent, because obesity in children that is not handled properly can trigger various serious diseases.
Obesity is a condition characterized by excess body weight due to the accumulation of fat in the body. Not only adults, children can also be affected by obesity.
If not controlled, obesity can increase the risk of children getting various diseases, such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension.
Based on data from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia in 2018, it is estimated that around 18-19% of children aged 5-12 years in Indonesia are overweight and 11% of children at that age suffer from obesity.
The Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) also predicts that there will be around 60 million obese children in Indonesia in 2020.
However, not all children who are overweight can be considered obese. To determine obese children, it is necessary to examine the body mass index (BMI) which is calculated based on weight and height.
Several Factors That Can Increase Child's Risk of Obesity
There are several factors that can increase a child's risk of obesity, including:
1. Consumption of unhealthy food
The habit of often consuming high-calorie dishes, such as fast food, foods high in saturated fat and sugar, and soft drinks, is one of the main causes of obesity in children. This is because children generally like food with an attractive taste and appearance.
2. Rarely move
In addition to an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise or infrequent movement can also make children susceptible to obesity. Lack of physical activity can make the number of calories in exceed the number of calories burned.
As a result, these calories will accumulate into fat tissue in the body and cause obesity.
3. Families with a history of obesity
A child who comes from an obese family has a higher potential to have excess weight as well. Apart from genetic factors, this is most likely also influenced by diet and lack of physical activity with family members.
4. Child psychology
To deal with problems and emotions, such as boredom or stress, some children often take it out on food. Usually, they will consume fast food, sugary drinks, and candy or chocolate in excess.
In addition to some of the factors above, the consumption of certain drugs, such as: prednisone, lithium, and amitriptyline, can also be one of the factors that can make children more prone to obesity.
Various Complications in Obese Children
In addition to difficulty moving, obese children are also at risk of suffering from several serious diseases, namely:
High blood pressure and cholesterol
Excessive consumption of unhealthy foods can increase blood pressure and cholesterol in the body. This can lead to the formation of plaque and narrowing of blood vessels in children which can trigger a stroke or heart attack later in life.
Type 2 diabetes
Infrequent movement and obesity in children can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. This is due to disturbances in metabolic processes in the child's body.
Respiratory disorders
Children who are overweight can cause narrowing and swelling of the respiratory tract. This will cause the child to have difficulty breathing and be at risk of developing respiratory diseases, such as asthma.
Joint pain
Excess body weight can put extra stress on the hips and knees. This can sometimes make obese children experience pain and injury to the knees, hips, and hips.
Sleep disturbance
Obesity in children can cause sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and excessive snoring. This happens because of the excessive load that blocks the respiratory tract.
In addition, obesity can also have an impact on the social and emotional side of children, such as depression, anxiety disorders, lack of confidence, and difficulty socializing.
Determining the Nutritional Status of Children with Body Mass Index
If you are worried about being overweight in your child, immediately consult a doctor to get the right diagnosis. However, pay attention to the child's complaints, behavior, and activities first. Also record the food or drugs consumed to facilitate treatment by the doctor.
The doctor will then measure the Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine whether the child's weight can be classified as underweight, normal, overweight with risk, obesity, and obesity II.
BMI is measured by the formula for weight (in kilograms) divided by height squared (in m2). For example, an 8-year-old boy with a weight of 50 kilograms and a height of 1.2 meters, his BMI is:
50 kg/(1.20 m)2 = 50/1.44 = 34.7 kg/m2
Based on the results of the BMI calculation, this child is included in the category of obesity.
The criteria for a child's ideal weight according to BMI vary depending on age. The following is the ideal BMI value based on the child's age:
- 2 and 3 years: 14.8–18
- 4–7 years: 14–18
- 7–9 years:14–17
- 10–12 years: 15–19
- 13–15 years 16–21
- 15–18 years: 18–23
The nutritional status of children can be said to be malnourished or underweight, if the BMI value is less than the lowest range above. Meanwhile, children are categorized as obese if their BMI is above the highest range above.
If you find it difficult or confused about how to calculate your child's BMI, you can have your child checked by a doctor. After determining the BMI value, the doctor will assess the nutritional status of the child based on the graph of the normal weight of the child according to his age, gender, and height.
In addition to measuring the child's BMI, the doctor will also check the child's diet, activity level, family history of obesity, and health problems.
Examination of blood sugar levels, cholesterol, hormone balance, vitamin D levels, and examinations related to other obesity conditions can also be done. Note that generally this blood test requires the child to fast for 8–12 hours beforehand.
Tips for Accompanying Obese Children
When accompanying obese children, you must ensure that they adopt a healthy diet and invite them to do physical activity to lose weight. However, this weight loss program must be consulted with a doctor first to get the right guidance.
Weight loss in obese children should be done gradually. For children aged 6-11 years, they should not lose more than 0.5 kilograms in a month.
Meanwhile, in adolescents and children with severe obesity, the weight loss target can be increased to about 1 kilogram per week.
In addition, there are some tips that you can apply in accompanying obese children, including:
Speak from heart to heart
Weight is a sensitive topic to talk about, especially in teenagers. However, if not discussed, the child can be in a condition that endangers his physical and psychological health. Therefore, this topic must be conveyed in an appropriate manner.
Always support, accompany, and encourage children to continue living a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularly. Also invite children to be more open about problems that trigger obesity, such as the stress they experience.
Apply a healthy lifestyle
In managing a healthy lifestyle, make sure you serve healthy dishes, do physical activity together, and limit use gadgets and watch television.
Try to choose healthy foods that children like and increase your intake of vegetables and fruit. Vegetables and fruit contain lots of fiber which can reduce hunger and increase fat breakdown. Set a diet with 3 main meals and 1-2 snacks a day.
Also invite children to move more by reducing time watching television, playing games, or oversleeping. You can replace it with a leisurely walk around the house or together cleaning the house.
Give a compliment
You can give a small compliment every child takes positive action to lose weight. For example, give praise when your child chooses an apple as a snack or when he prefers to cycle instead of sleeping all day.
In this case, you must invite other family members to continue to support and appreciate the positive things that the child is doing and encourage him to continue to consistently undergo a weight loss program.
How to Prevent Obesity in Children
There are several ways to prevent obesity in children, including:
- Make a healthy lifestyle a habit in the family.
- Check your child to the doctor regularly to undergo a BMI calculation to detect the risk of obesity, especially if the child looks overweight.
- Make sure your child has enough and quality sleep, because lack of sleep can increase the risk of obesity in children.
- Limit television or play time games a maximum of 1 hour per day.
- Avoid buying and keeping snacks high in sodium, sugar, and calories at home.
- Respect your child's appetite by not forcing him to finish the entire meal.
- Tell your child that you love him unconditionally, so he can open up about any issues that could trigger obesity.
The role and parenting pattern of parents are very influential in overcoming obesity in children. Even though they look cute and adorable, obese children can experience health problems later in life. Therefore, it is important to accompany children while undergoing a weight loss program.
If you still have questions about your child's obesity and the relationship between weight and your child's health condition, don't hesitate to consult a doctor.
