Obesity in Children – The Main Factors, Complications and how to Prevent it

Children Obesity

Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition in children and adolescents. It’s particularly troubling because being overweight often puts children on the path to health problems that were once considered adult problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity can also lead to a loss of self-confidence and frustration.

One of the best strategies for reducing childhood obesity is improving the eating and exercise habits of all of your family. Treating and preventing obesity helps protect your child’s health in childhood and into the future.

The Main Factors of Childhood Obesity

Behavioral Factors: for example, eating large amounts of food, eating foods full of calories, spending a lot of time in front of electronic devices, and lack of physical activity.

Environmental Factors: easy access to fast food, lack of opportunities for physical activity, and lack of parks and playgrounds in some communities.

Genetic Factors: A child is at risk of obesity when at least one of the parents is obese. However, genes do not necessarily mean that the child will be overweight as there are many steps a child can take to reduce this risk.

Medical conditions Hormonal conditions (e.g., hypothyroidism, growth hormone deficiency), Turner syndrome, Down syndrome.

Physical Complications of Obesity in Children

• Type 2 Diabetes Obesity as living a sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• High cholesterol and high blood pressure problems as which potentially will lead to heart attack or strokes later in life.
• Joint pain as excess weight puts extra pressure on the knees.
• Breathing problems as asthma is more common in children who are overweight. These children also become more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea, a potentially serious disorder in which a child’s breath stops and starts again during sleep.
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
• Social and emotional complications Obese children may be subjected to teasing or bullying from their peers

To Prevent your Child from Gaining Weight, you can:

• Set an example for your child to follow. Offer healthy foods, encourage regular physical activity, and make sure to turn this into a family concern.
• Make healthy snacks an option.
• Choose rewards other than food. It is bad behavior to promise sweets to a child in exchange for good behavior.
• Make sure your child gets enough sleep. Some studies suggest that getting too little sleep may increase the risk of obesity. Also, sleep deprivation may cause an imbalance of hormones, which leads to an increase in appetite.

• Make sure that your child visits the doctor for a good follow-up of his health at least once a year. During this visit, the doctor measures your child’s height and weight, and calculates a body mass index.

Requesting Capital Home Care Services in Saudi Arabia

Capital Home Care has simplified the process of requesting their home care services in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia:

1. Phone: Reach out to Capital Home Care directly at +966 12 227 6270 (Office) or +966 9200 10 689 (Toll-Free)
2. Website: You can submit a request by clicking HERE 
3. Email: Send an email detailing your needs to info@capitalambulance.sa
4. Visit in Branch: Alternatively, you can also visit Capital Home Care’s office at 7846 Hira – 2488 An Nahda District – Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Office hours are from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday through Thursday.

Once your request is received, a member of the Capital Home Care team will conduct an initial consultation to determine the specific needs of the patient. Following a comprehensive assessment, a tailored care plan is designed and implemented, ensuring the highest standard of home healthcare delivery.

References

• https://www.mayoclinic.org
• https://www.moh.gov.sa/HealthAwareness/EducationalContent/BabyHealth