Obesity in children is one of the serious metabolic disorders that is manifested by the deposition of adipose tissue. This disease entails a host of other problems. , which are very difficult to deal with. In addition, the child's health is constantly poor, since it is not at all easy to live, just move around and do some kind of work with excess weight.

Obesity is a condition in which the weight of a child exceeds the normal parameter by more than 15%. You can also talk about obesity if the child's body mass index (BMI) exceeds 30. As practice shows, children living in the city suffer most from obesity, and the reason for everything is haste and snacks on the go, in McDonald's, pizzerias and stalls selling buns , shawarma, fast food. It is unlikely that such establishments will be found in the village.

But in rural areas there is another danger - cooking with high-calorie animal fats. Therefore, in everything, balance and a rational approach are important.

Today in the world there is a significant increase in children diagnosed with obesity. And this is a serious endocrinological problem. Almost 80% of obese adults have problems with excess weight during adolescence.

There are many reasons for this state of a person. But in its nature of development is a polyethology, which means that one of the main roles is played by heredity and the environment. So, for example, if both parents are obese, then the risk of its occurrence in a child is approximately 80%, with obesity only in the mother - 50%, only in the father - 35-40%.

In addition, children whose birth weight was more than 4 kilograms are at risk. However, congenital obesity is diagnosed extremely rarely - only in 1% of cases. Also, those babies who are bottle-fed and gain a lot every month may suffer from obesity. In newborn babies, obesity often develops due to overfeeding with artificial nutrition. As a rule, it is extremely rare to overfeed the baby with breast milk.

Breastfeeding a baby is an effective prevention of obesity in later life.

According to statistics, obesity most often develops due to a violation of the diet, frequent snacks and refusal to exercise. Foods that can cause fat deposition include:

• bakery products;
• fast food;
• soda;
• sweets;
• juices;
• desserts;
• sweet teas.

The child's diet should consist of foods containing protein and fiber. It is also important to maintain water balance. You should not spend a lot of time in front of the TV or computer and eat food at the same time, as this simply does not control the amount of food. You need to play outdoor games or at least just walk in the yard every evening.

Very often, obesity in children and adolescents appears due to the fault of parents, since they refuse to work with the diet and monitor the diet. And if this will not interest adults, then the child even more so.

Obesity in children is not always a consequence of genetics, sometimes it is one of the acquired serious pathologies. For instance, this disease can occur against the background of such diagnoses:

• Down syndrome;
• meningitis;
• Cohen's syndrome;
• hypothyroidism;
• Pradell-Willi syndrome;
• a brain tumor;
• Ishchenko-Cushing syndrome;
• encephalitis.

Obesity can be caused by iodine deficiency in the body, leading to hypothyroidism. Stressful conditions are another important factor. They are associated with the child's admission to school, change of residence, quarrel with loved ones.

Classification

There are two forms of obesity: secondary and primary, depending on the time of occurrence.
Primary obesity is of the following types:

1. alimentary, caused by improper diet;
2. exogenous constitutional, caused by hereditary factors.

If genetics is to blame, then not the excess weight itself is inherited, but the peculiarities of the course of metabolic processes in the body. If we talk about the first type of primary obesity, then it occurs before the age of 3 years, in children 5-7 years old and in adolescents aged 12-17 years. Although its manifestation is possible at a different age, but less often.

Secondary obesity arises from diseases of a different nature. One of the common varieties of this type is endocrine obesity, which can simultaneously occur with diseases of the adrenal and ovaries, as well as problems with the thyroid gland.

Obesity in children (table)

In order to identify this disease in a child, you need to calculate his body mass index (according to the author it is called the Quetelet index), which is calculated by simple actions: the child's weight must be divided by the value of his height squared. Let's take a look at a simple example. For example, a boy is seven years old, his height is 1.5 meters, and his weight is 50 kilograms. To calculate the BMI, you need to square 1.5, it will be 2, 25. Then 50 must be divided by 2.25, the BMI value will be 22.2. After that, you need to refer to the table of average height and weight indicators (given below) for girls and boys and understand if BMI is within the normal range. As we can see, these indicators are normal, and the child is not obese.

Weight and height norms for children under 17 years old

As a rule, the most common degrees of obesity can be called the first and second, which are diagnosed in 80% of children. In the absence of nutritional correction, these degrees rapidly progress to more severe ones.

Symptoms

Of course, the main symptom of obesity is visible to the naked eye - it is overweight in children. If the disease occurs in young children, then the appearance of such symptoms is not excluded:

• developmental delay;
• constipation;
• tendency to allergic reactions;
• low activity;
• infectious diseases (more often than among peers).

Alimentary obesity occurs with the following symptoms:

1. fatty deposits in different parts of the body.
2. shortness of breath;
3. increased blood pressure;
4. loss of interest in physical activity.

Secondary obesity is characterized by more diverse symptoms:

• children begin to hold their heads late, walk, sit;
• teeth appear much later than in children of their age;
• drowsiness;
• decreased performance and school performance;
• disruptions of the menstrual cycle in girls;
• dryness of the skin.

Complications

Obesity itself is a dangerous disease. It can develop into complications, thereby worsening the patient's condition. If the diet for overweight children 7 years old is not followed and treatment is refused, the following diseases may develop:

1. type 2 diabetes mellitus;
2. atherosclerosis;
3. haemorrhoids;
4. pancreatitis;
5. hepatosis;
6. angina;
7. hypertension;
8. anorexia;
9. cholecystitis.

In addition, obesity can lead to other diseases and consequences, for example, flat feet, changes in posture, psychological disorders, arthrosis, scoliosis. Very often, overweight children suffer from depression due to the ridicule of their peers and classmates.

If a child has been diagnosed with obesity since birth, then there is a risk of infertility when the period of reproduction is reached.

Diagnosis of the disease

Surely we all remember how we were touched by plump children at birth - this is really touching. For a newborn baby, this is the norm - after all, he only eats and practically does not move. After about 10 months, when the baby learns to walk, all the plumpness goes away, as his physical activity increases, and all the fats are burned.

However, many parents, seeing how plump their child was born, worry - and not whether he is obese. Only a doctor can diagnose this, but if you do not overfeed the child, then there can be no question of any obesity. Precisely in order to prevent this disease, every month during the first year, the child is weighed and measured his height, abdominal coverage, and head. In addition, the pediatrician has a special table of averages for a boy and a girl, how many kg they should gain per month.

And therefore, such symptoms that appear externally should not bother parents:

• rounded tummy protruding forward;
• plump arms and legs;
• tight thighs.

If the child begins to gain more than the prescribed norm, then the pediatrician must adjust the baby's nutrition and his daily routine, if he is more than six months old. Indeed, at the age of 6 months, a child can be interested in toys. It is at this age that babies learn to crawl - which means they are active.

Development of obesity in children

As a rule, obesity begins to develop when a child gains a lot of weight, and his parents and grandparents are moved and rejoice in their pet's appetite. When the doctor talks about obesity, they often do not listen to him and say that he will outgrow, continuing to feed the baby in the same way. This cannot be done, you need to listen to the recommendations of the pediatrician, especially if the baby is newborn and is artificially fed. Failure to comply with the recommendations is fraught with the possibility of developing the first degree of obesity.

If you do not take any measures, then obesity can develop into a second degree., and the child will regularly eat large amounts of food, since his stomach will be ready to accept food in such quantities. But with the second degree of obesity, other symptoms of the disease, which were mentioned above, may appear. With this degree, only 50% of parents decide to see a nutritionist because they understand that the child is in danger and sick.

If the parents at this time also decide that the child will "outgrow", then obesity progresses to the third degree, when all the relatives of the chubby baby begin to sound the alarm. They understand that their child is sick and do not know what to do. At this stage, symptoms of diabetes mellitus and joint pain may appear. It is at this stage of the development of the disease that 90% of parents turn to the doctor, but sometimes it is already very difficult to recover.

Treatment

Treatment for obesity in children should be comprehensive. First of all, you need to follow a diet in order to lose those extra pounds. Often, with obesity, concomitant diseases appear, the treatment of which must be carried out without fail. In addition, do not forget to engage in the prevention of excess weight and maintaining the condition that was achieved thanks to the treatment.

As mentioned above, diet for obese children should be selected on an individual basis, thanks to her, you can lose excess weight. The most important thing is to regularly count the calories of food eaten per day, and eat at least 5 times a day, in small portions. You also need to manage your time rationally. With a child of preschool age, you should walk as often as possible, engage in outdoor games. With schoolchildren of 7-8 years old, a lot of time needs to be devoted to sports and circles for development.

If concomitant diseases appear, then you need to contact narrow specialists. Also for obesity, the doctor prescribes the following procedures:

• psychotherapy;
• acupuncture;
• hydrotherapy (swimming is especially good).

But sometimes all these measures are not enough to treat obesity, because adolescents may have psychological disorders, and therefore the child will need to be shown to a doctor who can identify the causes of the "seizing" problems. After all, this is precisely why overweight is most often gained in a child 10 years old and older, which occurs against a background of stress.

It is not recommended to use medications for treatment, as they can negatively affect the growing body. These drugs can be very effective, but should only be taken by adolescents over the age of 15. Surgical operations for children are also not shown.

Diet

Of course, the main measure for treatment is diet. However, you should not resort to the diet found on the Internet. It is necessary to select the menu and food for the child individually, together with the doctor, not forgetting about allergic reactions. It is also very difficult for children to explain why they should not use this or that product. Therefore, the diet should be based on some form of favorite food, so that the child does not boycott his parents and does not refuse food at all. With obesity of the 2nd degree in children, it is necessary to reduce the number of calories. This can be achieved with vegetable fats and carbohydrates.

If we talk about adolescents at the 3-4th degree of obesity, then the diet for them should be selected very strictly. It will be necessary to exclude all sweets, berries and fruits, vegetables with starch content, pasta.

1. Last meal no later than 3 hours before bedtime.
2. The last meal shouldn't be heavy. A glass of low-fat kefir is effective as a dream book.
3. There are at least 3-3.5 hour breaks between meals.
4. Most of the food should be eaten in the morning.

Physical activity

In order to burn excess fat, diet alone will not be enough, you still need to exercise. If a teenager is obese, then he can play sports at home. To do this, you need to purchase a simulator, choose a set of exercises. Alternatively, buy a gym membership. With kids you need to walk in the fresh air, play outdoor games, sign up for a sports club.

Exercise therapy for obesity is a necessary measure to alleviate the condition and treat the patient. The choice of techniques for its implementation is necessary according to the age and weight of the patient. You can conduct classes in the following forms:

• morning exercises;
• jogging before bed;
• outdoor games;
• training sessions.

A set of exercises can be anything, but you should start with simple exercises: walking on toes, heels, full foot. Different organs and muscle groups should be involved in the exercise.

Prevention

Obesity prevention is one of the most challenging tasks in the modern world. The first thing parents should start with is to teach the child to the right diet from an early age. You also need to pay a lot of attention to the daily routine, to walk with the child in the fresh air every day.

Any parent should instill a child's interest in physical culture and sports, as this is very important for his development. But in this case, parents should be an example for their child.

Prevention of obesity is very important, as in recent years this disease is only gaining momentum in popularity. And no matter how sad it may sound, the disease appears more and more often in children of different ages. Many people mistakenly believe that obesity causes nothing but difficulty in movement. However, this is a serious disease that is very difficult and can affect many organs of a person.

Coping with obesity is very difficult for adults, let alone children. That is why you should not allow a set of extra pounds: with a predisposition to the disease, you need to prevent it, and when the first symptoms appear, treat and eliminate extra pounds.

How to deal with obesity in children and adolescents, the possible consequences of gaining excess weight updated: October 20, 2016 by the author: admin

The number of children and adolescents suffering from obesity is growing every year in the world. The reason is the abundance of food, the growth of prosperity, the emergence of many so-called "snacks" (this is food for a quick snack - for example, chocolate bars, chips, crackers). There are, of course, other reasons as well. Fewer families adhere to the tradition of sitting down at a common table at a certain hour. Many people eat when they want and how they want. Failure to comply with the regimen leads to overweight in adults and children.

Prevention of obesity in children includes simple and well-known measures. There is nothing new here and cannot be. Analyzing the traditions and rules adopted in the family where a child with obesity lives, psychologists usually state : overweight child is a consequence of overeating and lack of physical activity. Trite, but true for the vast majority of cases.

Prevention of obesity in children and adolescents

These measures are good not only for prevention, but also for solving an existing problem. If you're wondering " What should I do if my child is overweight?”, start following the recommendations below.

1. Observe the diet. A child of preschool and school age should eat 5-6 times a day: breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner and second dinner. Second breakfast is also available. Only three meals should be satisfying: breakfast, lunch and. Second breakfast, afternoon snack and second dinner are as light as possible. As a rule, it is either a fruit or a drink with wholemeal biscuits.

Additional snacks are not required. They provide the child with extra calories, which leads to excess weight.

You should not feed the child all day and evening. Six meals is more than enough. The child simply has no time to get hungry, so in no case should you persuade him to have another bite to eat.

If the child himself asks, you need to gently explain that there is very little left until the next meal, so you should not interrupt your appetite. However, if the child insists, it is worth offering him something low-calorie and healthy - for example, an apple, a glass or a few nucleoli.

2. Drive away feelings of guilt and inferiority. Many women feel the need to breastfeed their children. Yes, it's a need. The child does not want to eat. He doesn't need to. This is for the mother.

Thinking that the child is hungry, she feels like a bad mother. After feeding the child, he calms down. Not hearing the words of gratitude for the next "yummy" and not seeing the rather well-fed expression on her child's face, she begins to doubt her need for him. She needs to constantly make sure that she is needed.

Often these mother complexes lead to obesity in a child. And that makes her feel guilty. There is a vicious circle. It is better to break it at the very beginning, before anyone gets hurt.

A good mother is one who loves her children. Do you love your child? Then why doubt and feelings of inferiority? A mother needs to feed her child, raise her to her feet, raise her strong and healthy, and not feed her all day long for her own satisfaction.

3. Explain to the child the benefits and harms of food. From early childhood, you need to acquaint the child with the basics of healthy eating. Even very young children are able to understand what, but chips are not.

Children need to be explained what vitamins, fats, carbohydrates and proteins are. How many do you need and why? What is cholesterol. Why are some people fat and others skinny. Why is it bad to be fat? Why do older people have heart problems? Why is it good to play sports.

The form of reporting this information, of course, should depend on the age of the child. A kid can learn a lot through a game, dramatization, a fairy tale. When he gets older, the conversations should be more serious. The information provided must be backed up with facts and examples.

If a child learns from early childhood that overeating is harmful, and fruits, yogurt and sports are useful, then the likelihood of becoming obese will be minimal.

4. Be a good example. Parents are role models. This is how the child perceives them. If parents explain that chips are harmful, and they themselves “crack” them every evening, sitting in front of the TV, then the result of such upbringing will be the opposite of what was expected.

Parents often require their child to do as they say, not as they act. But as a result, they lose their parental authority - the child ceases to unconditionally believe their words and unquestioningly follow their advice.

Personal example of parents- that's what really works. Do you want to instill in your child the need to eat right? Switch the whole family to a healthy diet. Do you want your child to love sports? Start playing sports. The main thing is that your words do not diverge from deeds.

5. Don't use food as a stick and stick! This is a very big mistake for parents. Punish a child with food “got a deuce - there will be no dessert!”) or encourage something delicious ( "clean your room - get ice cream") is by no means necessary. Do not turn food into a source of the greatest pleasure! This leads to psychological problems, the result of which is obesity.

If you need encouragement, there are other options. For example, promise to go to the skating rink on the weekend. Or give a child a ball, sneakers. Or that toy that he had long wanted. But I'm not going!

6. Encourage an active lifestyle . And again, the first violin is played by the personal example of the parents. If they spend all evenings and weekends lying in front of the TV or sitting at the computer, then the child gets used to such leisure, considering it quite acceptable and almost the only right one.

Do you want your child to be active? Get active yourself. Let at least for a few years, until an active lifestyle becomes a habit in a child.

Go for walks together, make snowmen, ride bicycles. Sign up for a pool, buy a home.

Help your child to join the company of active peers. He can meet such guys in the section or in the yard if he has roller skates, a bicycle, a hockey stick or a soccer ball.

If not only parents, but also other children serve as an example, the child can forever make friends with sports and love an active lifestyle. And this is the most effective "vaccination" against obesity.

Prevention of obesity in children and adolescents: bad advice

We found this bad advice on an American site. In the United States, the problem of obesity in children is even more acute than in our country. What measures do they consider important for prevention? We have translated bad advice for American parents and invite you to read them.

As you understand, “bad advice” is given not in order to follow it, but in order to do exactly the opposite.

So, if you want your children to be fat and clumsy, do the following.

1. Do not feed children breakfast. Mom is sleepy and weak in the morning, she wants to lie in bed longer. This is fine. Let the children respect the needs of the mother. Just make sure you put chocolates or candy bars in the kids' briefcases. If the child feels hungry, he can always eat a candy and kill his hunger.

2. Never watch the portion sizes of children. Even if the child eats more than he should, it's okay. The stomach has a tendency to expand.

3. Buy ready-made snacks. It's great that stores sell packages of ready-made snacks. It makes our life so much easier! Chips, croutons, cheese sticks, donuts, croissants, chocolate cookies, all kinds of different "crunches" - all this can be easily and quickly fed to children, without even turning on the oven and wasting time washing and cutting vegetables and fruits. All you need is to go to the supermarket once a week and pick up a “ton” of colorful packages. And you don't have to worry for a whole week!

4. Buy semi-finished products. In the end, everyone should mind their own business. You do your job, and the workers of the semi-finished products factories do theirs. You - help with the housework, they - jobs and wages. Solid benefit!

Moreover, you are so tired and you are not up to cooking. Semi-finished products for you - just salvation. And, by the way, eating semi-finished products is beneficial - for some reason, purchased cutlets are cheaper than homemade ones. With the money saved, you'd better buy a game console for your child.

5. Buy sugary drinks for kids. Pure water is so boring. Children do not like plain water, because it is tasteless. Better offer them sweet soda - they drink it with pleasure. And what's the difference than to quench your thirst? After all, the main thing is that the child receives a sufficient amount of liquid.

6. Make your child eat everything on the plate. Offer dessert as a bonus. Until he eats everything that was on the plate - do not give dessert. So the formula will be fixed in the child: the main meal is a chore and unpleasant, but a sweet dessert is a prize.

When a child becomes an adult and independent, he will always lean on desserts, but this is a matter of the distant future, and today you need to make him eat everything that is on the plate.

7. Protect a child who is passionate about sports from possible disappointments. Your child will never become a professional athlete anyway! After all, he has no innate ability to do so. If he is encouraged now, he will later experience great disappointment. Therefore, as soon as he becomes interested in sports, tell him: “Sport is not yours. You will never achieve great success! You should not dream about it, because otherwise you will be in for a big disappointment!” .

8. Force your child to play sports. Write him down in the section and drive by force. Force, punish, threaten. You can even call him names and deprive him of watching his favorite show. Do not be afraid that he will hate sports and an active lifestyle, because the main thing is that you have completed your task of introducing sports.

9. Feed boys meat. Yes, fiber is needed - it protects against cholesterol and protects the heart and blood vessels, but men by nature are hunters, savages. They need MEAT! Feed the boys basically only meat - and then they will grow up to be real men! Leave fruits and vegetables to weak girls!

If you want to protect your children from excess weight, do exactly the opposite.

Health to you and your children!

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Many children aged 8-12 suffer from metabolic disorders and are overweight. About 23% of children in this category answered in the affirmative when asked about the use of diets for weight loss. Moreover, diets are used even by those children who are not overweight. But is it possible to apply diets at such a young age, when the children's body is just being formed?

Causes of obesity in children

The main cause of obesity in childhood is overfeeding. This is the primary form of obesity. Predisposition to overweight in this case is inherited. Errors in nutrition lead to obesity: the use of fast food, fatty and fried foods, sweet colored drinks, and sweets. This form of obesity is not accompanied by disorders in the body.

In most cases, with an active lifestyle, excess weight does not progress; in children, by the age of 10, the weight gradually returns to normal. Only 25-30% of obesity persists until adolescence. The secondary form of obesity occurs due to various diseases, both hereditary and acquired, for example, diabetes mellitus or abnormalities in the work and endocrine system.

The effect of excess weight on the child's body

Overweight children cannot cope with physical activity on their own, engage in various sports, and play outdoor games. The state of health is gradually deteriorating. Children develop complexes associated with being overweight. It is not easy for such children at school: they are teased by their peers, they do not want to be friends with them.

There are four degrees of obesity:

• obesity of the I degree - the body weight of the child exceeds the normal by 15-25%;
• obesity of the II degree - the body weight of the baby exceeds the normal by 25-55%;
• obesity of the III degree - 50-100% overweight from normal body weight;
• Obesity IV degree - more than 100% of normal body weight.

The higher the degree of obesity, the more pronounced the movement and posture disorders in the child. In overweight children, the back is in a hunched state, the abdominal muscles are very weak, the legs become X-shaped, flat feet appear. These children sweat more. As a result, the child has diaper rash, eczema, the skin becomes vulnerable to various infections. Excess glucose in the body leads to early puberty in girls. In obese children, joints wear out faster, osteoarthritis appears at an early age.

Children at risk for developing obesity include:

In which parents are overweight: if one parent is overweight, the likelihood of obesity in a child increases by 2 times, if both parents - by 5 times;

- parents or close blood relatives have disorders in the endocrine system or diabetes mellitus;

Which were transferred to artificial nutrition, especially when the mixture is high-calorie;

Premature babies and babies with low weight;

With congenital diseases of the endocrine system.

Treatment of obesity in children 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 years old

The selection of diet and physical activity depends on the degree of obesity. Obesity I degree does not need medical treatment. It is enough to increase physical activity, limit sitting at the computer to 2 hours a day and balance the diet. The weight of the child will gradually return to normal.

The second degree of obesity needs a more thorough correction of nutrition. It is necessary to limit the amount of refractory fats in the cooking process and reduce the caloric content of food due to carbohydrates. In parallel with this, the child should lead an active lifestyle.

The third and fourth stages of obesity require treatment in a hospital. The child must be strictly limited in eating food. Strict restriction means fractional meals: in small portions up to 6 times a day. In this case, the children's diet is compiled and corrected only by a nutritionist. Medicines and dietary supplements that are intended for weight loss are not prescribed for children under 15 years of age. Surgical treatment is also not used.

How to choose a diet for a child's body with obesity?

Diets in the usual sense are dangerous for a growing organism. Overweight children are very picky eaters, so it is very difficult for such a child to choose a menu. Initially, old habits and stereotypes will work. The main condition for the successful weight loss of children aged 8-12 years will be the transition of the whole family to proper balanced nutrition. Food should be not only healthy, but also tasty, otherwise the child will simply refuse to eat.

The child must be taught to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. Babies love to eat colorful foods. For the menu, you can select vegetables with a different combination of shades, dress salads with olive oil. The dish should look appetizing, make you want to try more. It is necessary to limit the use of store-bought juices, they contain a large amount of sugar and preservatives.

Semi-finished products in the diet of fattening children are acceptable, but only with a minimum amount of fat, such as fish, quail or chicken. Such semi-finished products cannot be fried, it is better to stew them with a minimum amount of fat. In the menu, use foods with a large amount of starch in the composition: potatoes, rice, other cereals. Limit your consumption of pasta and bread. Spices and salt are used in limited quantities. The amount of salt should not exceed more than 10 g per day.

Dietary treatment should be carried out continuously and consistently. The diet needs to be adjusted. Avoid eating late and at night, avoid overeating, especially in the evening. It is also necessary to exclude the use of confectionery and limit the amount of sugar. Potatoes and cereals served as a side dish should be reduced to 2/3 servings. The rest of the serving is best supplemented with vegetables and unsweetened fruits.

What foods should be excluded?

It is recommended not to accustom a child to prohibited foods from childhood, since the formation of taste preferences and eating habits is laid during this period. When obese, it is necessary to exclude such products:

• sugary drinks, especially of synthetic origin;
• cookies, ice cream, sweets, pastries;
• fluid intake of no more than 1 liter per day (30 ml per 1 kg of the child's weight);
• products for snacking "on the run";
• desserts based on milk or high-calorie yogurt;
• limit the consumption of egg white;
• mayonnaise and hot spices;
• fatty foods;
• fried meals.

Prevention of overweight

It should be remembered that the child inherits the way his parents eat. The diet of a growing organism should include cereals, soups, meat, fish, milk, compotes, vegetables, fruits, bakery products. The task of parents is to rationally distribute the emphasis on certain products. Breakfast, lunch and dinner should be complete. Children should not be allowed to go to school without having breakfast.

Child nutrition - diet

Meals for a child of 8-12 years old should be divided into four meals. The first breakfast is 25-30% of the total diet. The second breakfast includes 10-15%, lunch - 40-45%, dinner - 15-20% of the daily diet. For breakfast and lunch, you need to cook dishes with a lot of proteins (eggs, meat, fish), and for dinner, cereals, vegetable dishes, and dairy products are suitable. The combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates should be 1:1:3 (or to 4).

The daily volume of dishes in babies is at the age of 3-7 years - 1400-800 g, for schoolchildren 7-11 years old - 2100-2300 g, in adolescents 11-15 years old - 2400-2700 g. When drawing up a diet, it is also necessary to take into account meals during school hours. Junior schoolchildren (7-10 years old) in the first shift should have full breakfasts at school, and in the second shift (10-14 years old) - full afternoon snacks. The daily calorie requirement for children aged 5-8 years is approximately 2000-2400 kcal, for 8-12 years old - 2400-2800 kcal, for adolescents under 16 years old - up to 3000 kcal.

It should be remembered that one product cannot be replaced by another. This is due to the fact that each product has a certain set of vitamins and minerals. Vegetables and fruits, meat dishes have their own unique composition of amino acids, some of which are not found in other foods.

So in adolescents they call a condition in which their body weight is exceeded by normal indicators for their age. This problem is caused mainly by a sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, some psychological reasons or hormonal disruptions. People who have been overweight since childhood are more prone to infertility, myocardial infarction, and cardiac ischemia.

How to determine

Obesity in adolescents is a condition when their weight is more than the normal parameter by 15%. A sign is also a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 30. Such indicators are more often observed in children who live in cities. This is due to the use of fast food, pizza, shawarma and other junk food. In rural areas, this is due to cooking with animal fats.

Causes of obesity in children and adolescents

Exceeding normal body weight can be caused by various reasons. Depending on them, two main risk factors are distinguished:

1. Alimentary. In this case, excess body weight is the result of a sedentary lifestyle and improper diet.
2. Endocrine. more serious factor. With it, weight problems arise due to metabolic syndrome, diseases of the adrenal glands, thyroid gland and ovaries in girls.

Only a doctor can identify a specific cause on the basis of an examination, a conversation with the child and parents, and other studies. Obesity in adolescents develops due to pathologies such as:

1. Heredity. This is not the most common reason, because even with a genetic predisposition, excess food is required to gain mass.
2. congenital obesity. This includes children who were born weighing more than 4 kg. This type is diagnosed in only 1% of cases.
3. Violation of the diet. One of the most common reasons for weight gain. The patient does not eat at the same time, and the diet consists of harmful foods.
4. Lack of physical activity. Long lying during the day, sedentary games, watching TV or being at the computer contribute to weight gain.
5. Hypothyroidism. This disease leads to iodine deficiency in the body, which causes endocrine disorders. This condition contributes to weight gain.
6. Acquired diseases. Not only genetic factors lead to weight gain. It may occur in the background:

• meningitis;
• Prader-Willi syndrome;
• encephalitis;
• Cohen's syndrome;
• Ischenko-Cushing syndrome;
• brain tumors.

Classification

According to the main classification criterion, obesity in adolescents is divided into types depending on the cause. It can be primary and secondary. There is also mixed childhood obesity, which is caused by factors from both of the above groups at once. Primary develops due to genetic pathologies. It is not the weight itself that is inherited, but the peculiarities of the course of metabolism in the body.

Children with obesity of the first degree are more often in the age group under 3 years, 3-5 years and 12-17 years. At other times it is much less common. This form is further divided into several types:

• exogenous-constitutional, or idiopathic, which is associated with heredity;
• alimentary, caused by improper diet.

The next type is secondary obesity, which develops against the background of other diseases, proceeding simultaneously with them. Pathologies can be associated with the thyroid gland, ovaries or adrenal glands. Based on this, the following subtypes of secondary obesity in adolescents are distinguished:

• endocrine;
• associated with defects in genes;
• medication;
• cerebral.

Degrees

Depending on how much the percentage of weight exceeds normal levels, the degree of overweight is distinguished. This allows you to assess the risks of possible complications, although any deviation is dangerous. There are 4 degrees in total:

1. First. In this case, the body weight of a teenager exceeds the norm by 15-20%. Obesity 1 degree in children is the least dangerous of all. At this stage, the disease is more often diagnosed.
2. Second. The indicator of excess over normal weight is already 20-50%. Obesity of the 2nd degree - already leads to discomfort, the child has the first health problems.
3. Third. Means that body weight is more than normal by more than 50%. Here, a serious complex treatment is already mandatory.
4. Fourth. It is diagnosed when the weight is exceeded by 100%. The most dangerous stage, when severe complications are observed, up to diabetes mellitus, hypertension, etc.

Table of norms of weight and height

In 80% of children, the first and second degree are noted. To determine the pathology, it is necessary to know the exact weight. The value of body weight is compared with normal values, which are reflected in the centile table. It contains several values ​​at once. The first is the average weight value depending on age - from 1 year 3 months to 17 years. Additionally, the range of normal body weight is indicated, within which it can change without harm to health. In addition to weight, the centile table also contains the average height for each age and the range of healthy indicators.

Symptoms of obesity in adolescence

Primary and secondary obesity in adolescents have both a number of common symptoms and signs characteristic of each form. The main one is visible to the naked eye - these are large body volumes due to a significant layer of fat, as seen in the photo. Signs of nutritional obesity in adolescents include:

• dyspnea;
• increased blood pressure;
• lack of interest in physical activity;
• fat deposits in different parts of the body.

Endocrine symptoms appear against the background of problems with the functioning of the thyroid gland, ovaries, adrenal glands. Signs of this condition are:

• poor appetite;
• bags under the eyes;
• weakness;
• drowsiness;
• fatigue;
• dry skin;
• poor school performance;
• constipation.

When excess body weight is accompanied by headaches, it may be a sign of a tumor. Against the background of this problem, the following symptoms may also occur:

• gynecomastia - an increase in the mammary glands in boys and girls;
• galactorrhea - secretion of milk from the mammary glands;
• violation of the cycle of menstruation in girls;
• delayed development during puberty.

What is the danger of being overweight in a child

Excess weight in a child can cause diseases that are not typical for childhood. they not only worsen the quality of life, but also reduce its duration. For this reason, obesity in adolescents is considered a dangerous pathology. It can cause problems with various organ systems. Obesity in girls leads to disruption of the menstrual cycle. Due to a decrease in progesterone levels, problems with conception may develop in the future.

Consequences and complications

Being overweight affects not only physical but also mental health. Peer ridicule, dissatisfaction with oneself and constant worries lead to prolonged stress, which only aggravates the situation and leads to social isolation. Many adolescents develop flat feet, poor posture, scoliosis and arthrosis. In addition to these pathologies and mental disorders, excess body fat causes:

1. Cardiovascular diseases. Arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis, chronic heart failure, angina pectoris stand out here.
2. Pathology of bones and joints. These include skeletal deformities, flat feet, scoliosis, joint pain.
3. Endocrine diseases. In the absence of insulin, type 2 diabetes mellitus develops.
4. Digestive diseases. In this group, there are frequent constipation, cholecystitis (chronic inflammation of the gallbladder), pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Due to fatty deposits in the liver, lipid hepatosis develops.
5. Mental illness. In this category, complications are sleep disturbance, sleep apnea syndrome (breathing disorder), psychosocial disorders.

Diagnostics

Due to the many reasons that can lead to weight gain, more than one specialist is involved in the diagnosis. To identify the nature of overweight, it is necessary to consult such doctors as:

• psychologist;
• gastroenterologist;
• nutritionist;
• otolaryngologist;
• neurologist;
• exercise therapy doctor;
• cardiologist;
• geneticist;
• gynecologist;
• endocrinologist.

Detection takes place in several stages. The first of these is a visual inspection, the collection of information. The doctor needs to find out the features of the daily routine of the family, eating behavior and the presence of chronic diseases. In addition to examination, obesity in children and adolescents is diagnosed on the basis of the following examinations:

• measurement of height, weight, waist, chest, calculation of BMI;
• measuring the thickness of the skin fold relative to adipose tissue;
• laboratory procedures.

Collection of information about the child

To determine the possible causes of the problem of excess weight, the doctor begins with an examination. He asks his parents about the diet. For newborns, the specialist needs information about the method of feeding up to a year. About older children, the doctor needs to know about their dietary habits, physical activity, level of physical fitness and the presence of concomitant chronic diseases.

Measurement of anthropometric data and calculation of BMI

To calculate BMI, you need to measure body weight and height. The first value is taken in kilograms, the second - m. Growth for substitution in the formula must be squared. Further, by this value it is necessary to divide the body weight in kilograms. The general BMI formula looks like this - weight (kg) / height squared (sq.m). If we compare the calculated BMI and standard values, we can determine the presence of obesity in a teenager:

BMI (kg/sq.m)		Degree of pathology
	elevated	Excess weight
		1 degree
	Very tall	2nd degree
	Too high	3 degree

Bioelectric resistance

This is a bioimpedance method, which is a measurement of the thickness of the skin fold in relation to adipose tissue. It belongs to the category of non-invasive and very simple. The method itself is based on the fact that different tissues of the body are capable of conducting a weak electric current in their own way. During the procedure, the percentage of water is directly estimated, while fat is determined indirectly. Thresholds for diagnosis are the 95 centiles.

Laboratory diagnostics and hardware research

To finally identify the cause of obesity in a teenager, the doctor prescribes a few more instrumental studies. Their list includes the following procedures:

1. Blood chemistry. It detects the level of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides, the increase of which increases the risk of developing diabetes and atherosclerosis. Having determined the protein, the specialist can draw a conclusion about the state of the liver.
2. Blood and urine test for hormones. It is prescribed by a doctor if the endocrine nature of overweight is suspected. In the case of congenital hypothyroidism, a decrease in the amount of thyroid hormones is detected in the blood.
3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT). These procedures are necessary if a pituitary tumor and other diseases are suspected.

Treatment of obesity in children and adolescents

After determining the cause of the disease, the doctor can prescribe adequate therapy. In general, the treatment regimen involves the use of the following methods:

1. Individual diet. It is necessary for weight loss and further prevention of gains. It is prescribed individually based on the past diet of a teenager. Weight loss must be gradual. A sharp decrease in body weight or its jumps are unacceptable.
2. Physical education. Sport helps to improve the general condition of the child, help reduce body weight and relieve signs of depression. Teenagers can do aerobics, physical education, outdoor games.
3. Taking medication. The basis of drug therapy are drugs that suppress appetite. If obesity in a teenager is associated with the endocrine system, then the patient is prescribed hormonal drugs.
4. Psychological help. This applies to the family, which should support the teenager by switching to proper nutrition with him. Parents need to set an example by the fact that they themselves play sports.
5. Surgery. It is carried out only in the presence of vital indications, when the patient may die without surgery.

Nutrition correction and individual diet

The correct diet for a teenager with the exact number of calories can be determined by a dietitian. The goal here is to inhibit the formation of subcutaneous fat and stimulate the burning of already fat cells, which requires a large amount of protein. It is important that the patient receives all the necessary nutrients. To do this, the diet should include:

• freshly squeezed juices without sugar;
• vegetables and unsweetened fruits;
• lean meats and fish;
• eggs;
• milk and dairy products of low fat content;
• vegetable oil for salad dressing;
• decoctions of fresh or dry fruits;
• butter in morning porridge.

Healthy foods should replace the unhealthy foods that previously made up the diet in the diet. Wrong food is presented in the following list:

• salty, spicy, sour dishes;
• carbonated drinks;
• semi-finished products;
• semolina;
• canned kissels and compotes;
• wheat bread;
• fat meat;
• strong meat broths;
• sugar, jam;
• fatty dairy products;
• spices;
• coffee;
• cocoa;
• pasta from flour of the first and highest grades.
• Teenagers need to eat little and often - up to 6-7 times a day (3-4 of them will be main meals, and 2-3 will be snacks). Breaks between meals are 3-4 hours. High-calorie food should be in the morning. For lunch, it is preferable to cook meat or fish. To replenish calcium reserves, it is recommended to include cottage cheese in the diet daily.

Physiotherapy

In addition to a diet, regular exercise is required to burn fat. Walks in the fresh air, outdoor games, classes at home in a sports corner, morning exercises must be in the daily routine of a teenager. The selection of a set of exercises is best left to a specialist. Parents are advised to choose the following activities:

• for young children, even for those who have just learned to walk - walking;
• at the age of 4-5 years - a sports section, for example, skiing, swimming, acrobatics;
• for teenagers - it is worth discussing in more detail what sports he likes so that classes bring pleasure.

Medical therapy

It is important to study contraindications and side effects before using the medicine, because many medicines are prohibited for adolescents. Only a doctor prescribes certain drugs. Depending on the degree, they can be prescribed:

• Orlistat - allowed from the age of 12;
• Metformin - used from the age of 10 years;
• Phentermine - dangerous with an increase in pressure;
• Fluoxetine - indicated in case of sleep apnea and bulimia.

Psychological help

Teenagers are different in that they live in the present, so what is happening now is more important to them. Under such conditions, it is not worth explaining how obesity in adolescents will affect their future life, in about 10 years. It is better to identify the bad sides of overweight by presenting the child with specific situations. There are a few more simple tips that will provide psychological support to the child:

• make a shopping list together, include only useful products;
• to cheer with the words - “even if now your weight is above the norm, but we are working on this problem and we will definitely cope”;
• explain that playing sports is not a duty, but another opportunity to enjoy a lifestyle, so you can choose what he likes;
• explain that peer ridicule should not be upsetting, because it is more important how a person perceives himself, and not the opinion of others, all the more expressed not in a tactful form, but in the form of name-calling;
• determine the role of electronic devices in a child's life, explain that sitting at them for a long time worsens health, and doing the same thing for a long time reduces the pleasure of such a pastime.

Surgery

Such a radical method is rarely resorted to, only in exceptional cases. The indication for surgery is a high risk of death. In most cases, adolescents undergo gastric banding. This operation can be carried out by different methods, but all of them are aimed at reducing the size of the stomach. This leads to a decrease in the amount of food consumed and promotes gradual weight loss.

Disease prevention

Measures for the prevention of obesity in adolescents are almost the same as in the case of its treatment. The main procedures are diet and physical activity. It is important to teach a child to a healthy diet from an early age so that he can follow it as a teenager. Daily walks in the fresh air, active games or sports should be in the daily routine of all children. Prevention of obesity in children also consists in controlling the emotional state, especially in adolescence. To do this, you need to talk with the child more often, be interested in his life and problems.

Video

Obesity is one of the most common problems in the world, which does not lose its relevance.

If earlier obesity occurred mainly in adults, now doctors are increasingly diagnosing this problem in children. To start the fight against this disease, you should find out the causes of its occurrence.

What degrees of obesity in children exist, the symptoms and description of the disease of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th degrees, as well as the formula for calculating the body mass index of a child from 1 to 10 years and older can be found in our review.

Description of the disease, causes

Obesity is a chronic pathology. It is characterized by a violation of metabolic processes that lead to the accumulation of fat in the body.

Excess body weight is dangerous for children: it can cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, heart, endocrine gland suffers.

You can cure the baby, but The disease is difficult to treat. Doctors recommend paying attention to nutrition, to reconsider the whole lifestyle of the baby. It is important that he was regularly physically active, getting enough sleep.

In some cases, medications aimed at normalizing metabolism help fight the disease.

• Hereditary predisposition.
• Disturbed metabolism.
• Improper diet, consumption of fatty, unhealthy foods.
• Lack of physical activity.
• Neuroendocrine diseases.
• Wrong daily routine.
• Regular sleep deprivation.
• Chromosomal and other genetic syndromes.
• Hemoblastosis.

These factors provoke weight gain in children. To cure the baby, it is necessary to identify the underlying cause. Then the weight can be reduced and the result achieved can be maintained.

Classification

Doctors distinguish two forms of pathology: primary and secondary. Primary is characterized by congenital pathologies that cause obesity.

A variation of this form of the disease is exogenous-constitutional obesity (caused by heredity in children).

Symptoms of the primary form:

• Slow metabolism.
• Dyspnea.
• Discomfort in the abdomen.
• Feeling bloated.

The secondary form is a consequence of the consumption of unhealthy food and lack of physical activity. This also includes endocrine obesity, which is caused by improper functioning of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands.

Symptoms of this form include:

• Children later than their peers begin to walk, sit.
• Increased fatigue, drowsiness.
• Acne.
• Oily skin.

hypothalamic

This is one of the varieties of the disease with the rapid deposition of fat masses. Excess fat appears quickly, especially often deposited in the abdomen, thighs, buttocks.

Appears due to changes in the hypothalamus, pituitary gland. This leads to the fact that a person has an uncontrolled appetite, he gains more calories than necessary.

Symptoms of this species:

• Rapid accumulation of fat mass.
• Increased sweating.
• Dark spots.
• Pressure surges.
• Crimson-blue stripes in places of fatty deposits.
• Headache.
• Increased fatigue.
• Hormonal disruptions.

With this type, the disease is considered acquired. A person who has not previously suffered from it can recover by 20-30 kg in two years.

The normalization of the functioning of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland will help restore weight.

Constitutional-exogenous

The main reason for the appearance of this type of disease is heredity., which is complemented by increased appetite. Fat can be deposited in different places of the human body.

People with this type of pathology do not eat properly, therefore, in order to normalize body weight, they are recommended to review the menu and play more sports.

In addition to fat storage, patients experience acne, the skin becomes oily. Symptoms of the disease include drowsiness, fatigue, and abdominal discomfort.

Endocrine

With this form fat accumulates due to disorders of the endocrine glands. Usually, the synthesis of certain hormones is carried out incorrectly, so the fat layer grows.

Symptoms of endocrine obesity:

• Increased appetite.
• Constipation.
• Nausea.
• Bloating.
• Bitterness in the mouth.
• Decreased potency.
• Violation of the menstrual cycle.

Patients develop swelling, joint pain, shortness of breath even with slight physical exertion.

Anxiety, irritability, mood swings, weakness, disturbed sleep, insomnia, and headache may occur.

Alimentary

It occurs due to lack of physical activity and malnutrition. The endocrine system works properly, it is not damaged. Fat accumulates gradually, usually in the abdomen and thighs.

Symptoms:

• The layer of fat is growing.
• Discomfort in the abdomen.
• Flatulence.
• Heaviness in the stomach.
• Weakness.

To normalize body weight, the baby is advised to move more and eat right.

It is easy to cope with this type of disease, since there are no severe disturbances in the functioning of the organs.

Stages (table by age)

Doctors distinguish four stages of the disease. To determine them, the body mass index is calculated. This is a formula that includes the height and weight of the baby.

The results obtained are divided into stages or degrees of obesity in children:

• The first - the norm of weight exceeds by 15-24%.
• The second - exceeds the norm by 25-50%.
• The third - the excess of normal indicators is 50-100%.
• Fourth - indicators exceed the norm by more than 100%.

The photo shows all degrees of obesity in children (1, 2, 3 and 4th):

The following indicators are the norm for different ages:

If the indicator is 25-29.9 - this is pre-obesity, and 30 and above - obesity.

Calculated only by the specified formula. There are other formulas for calculating BMI, but they are not suitable for children, they are recommended only for adults.

Dr. Komarovsky will talk about the problem of overweight and obesity in children in the following video:

Obesity can occur not only in adults, but also in children. It is of several types.

Knowing the reasons, you can help your child lose weight and keep the result for a long time. The baby will grow up healthy.

Number of years	Weight, kg		Height, cm
	boys	Girls	boys	Girls
1	10-11,5	9-10,2	72-78	71-76
2	12,4-13,7	11,5-14	85-92	82-90
3	13,8-16	13-16,5	92-99	91-99
4	15,5-18,8	14,3-17,8	98-107	95-106
5	17,4-22	16,3-20,2	105-116	104-114
6	19,7-24	19-23,5	111-121	110-120
7	21,6-27,8	21,3-27,2	118-129	116-129
8	24-31,2	24-30,5	125-135	124-134
9	26-34,8	26,5-35,3	128-141	127-140
10	30-38,2	30-38,5	135-147	134-147
11	32-40,5	31,6-42,3	138-149	136-152
12	36,5-40	38,2-50	143-158	146-160
13	39,2-53	43,2-54,1	149-165	151-163