Obesity in children
goodtoknow says: Obesity amongst children in the UK is on the increase with 27 percent of children now obese (seriously overweight). Obesity is linked to many long-term health complications such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Your child also has a higher chance of being an obese adult if they're overweight. Caused by an unhealthy diet and not enough exercise, we're now seeing the first cases of Type 2 diabetes in children as a direct result of overweight. Rarely the genetic condition, Prader- Willi or hyprothyroidism or Cushings syndrome can cause obesity in your child.
For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and treatments of obesity from patient.co.uk, read on.
If you are obese or overweight, you have an increased risk of developing various health problems. A realistic aim for many people is to lose 5-10% of your weight over three months. This is often about 5-10 kg (10 kg is about one and a half stone.) This modest amount of weight loss will greatly reduce your increased health risks. The best chance of losing weight, and keeping the weight off, is to be committed to a change in lifestyle. This includes eating a healthy diet and doing some regular physical activity.
Are you obese or overweight?
Body mass index
Your body mass index (BMI) is a good estimate of how much of your body is made up of fat. It relates your weight to your height. You can work out your BMI by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by the square of your height (in metres).
So, for example, if you weigh 70 kg and are 1.75 metres tall, your BMI is 70 / 1.75 x 1.75, which is 22.9. Alternatively, your practice nurse can measure and weigh you, and tell you your BMI.
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Where to next?
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What is the cause of obesity in children?
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Are kids fatter because they're not allowed out?
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Breast cancer linked to bad diet in childhood
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Child obesity: Is it out of control?
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Child obesity link to parents
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Childhood obesity: What can you do?
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Dr Lowry Kew, family doctor, on obesity
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Obesity in adults and children
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enid chelley, about 1 year
Hi! My grandson was born on the 14th december 2005, which makes him 28mths old and because he is well over 3 stone everyone including his healthvisitor thinks he should go on a diet. Both my daughter and myself thinks he will loose the fat as he gets older as to us its just puppy fat. many thanks Enid
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louise, 9 months
I think putting him on a diet is extreme but please watch the ammount of food that he eats and snacks etc.My middle daughter grew as an average weight baby and by time she was 4 she was chubbier than the other kids at playgroup. I spoke to my health visitor who reassured me that it was puppy fat and she would grow out of it as she was now more active at school. The older she got the bigger she got and experienced bullying at school that caused me to move her to another school. Her weight is a contant battle using food to comfort herself. If shes had a hard day at school (with bullies) she generally comes home and straight to food. She is now almost 10 and is 11 stone I now shop on a daily basis so there is no temptation of food in the house.
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