CHILDHOOD OVERWEIGHT & OBESITY – PREVENTION WITH HOLISTIC APPROACH

Childhood overweight and obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. Many children’s and young people struggle with excess weight. Almost 1 in 3 children ages 5 to 11 is considered to be overweight or obese. Weighing too many increases the chances that young people may develop some health problems now and later in life. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height. Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Obesity is defined as having excess body fat. Childhood obesity is a global phenomenon affecting all socio-economic groups, irrespective of age, sex or ethnicity. Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra weight often pushes children on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self esteem and depression. One of the best strategies to reduce childhood obesity is to improve the diet and exercise habits of entire family.

Classification

Developmental obesity – this category of obesity begins in the early years of a child’s life and continues steadily over the adult year. Hence, the foundation has already set in by the time the child is about four years old. The cells become saturated with fat and as the child grows older, more and more fat accumulates in the body. Muscle and bone mass also increases since the body has to carry additional weight. Such children usually grow tall, look older for their age and are obese right through infancy even up to their adult years. This type of obesity results in a higher lean body mass along with the fat.

Reactionary obesity – this type develops due to periods of emotional stress in a child’s life. During such stress periods the child may overeat resulting in increase in weight. However, since these periods are intermittent, the weight also reflects up and down.

Telling whether a child is overweight isn't always easy. Not all children carrying extra pounds are overweight or obese. Some children have larger than average body frames. And children normally carry different amounts of body fat at the various stages of development. Children grow at different rates at different times. Also, the amount of body fat changes with age and differs between girls and boys.

One way to determine a person's weight status is to calculate body mass index (BMI). The BMI measures a person's weight in relation to his or her height. The

BMI of children is age and sex specific and known as the "BMI for age”.

Causes

Many factors usually working in combination in increase child's risk of becoming overweight like

·        Diet - Regularly eating high calorie foods, such as fast foods, baked goods and vending machine snacks, can easily cause child to gain weight. Soft drinks, candy and desserts also can cause weight gain.

·        Lack of exercise. Children who don't exercise much are more likely to gain weight because they don't burn as many calories. Too much time spent in sedentary activities, such as watching television or playing video games, also contribute to the problem.

·        Family factors. If child comes from a family of overweight people, he or she may be more likely to put on weight. This is especially true in an environment where high calorie foods are always available and physical activity isn't encouraged.

·        Psychological factors. Some children overeat to cope with problems or to deal with emotions, such as stress, or to fight boredom. Their parents may have similar tendencies.

·        Socioeconomic factors. People in some communities have limited resources and little access to supermarkets. As a result, they may opt for convenience foods that don't spoil quickly, such as frozen meals, crackers and cookies. In addition, people who live in lower income neighborhoods may not have access to safe places to exercise.

Though not common, there are also genetic diseases and hormonal disorders that can make a child prone to obesity. Endocrine disease like Hyperpituirism, hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome, Genetic syndromes like prodderWilli, LaurenceMoonBiedi, turner syndrome, CNS lesions like  infection, surgery, radiation, cranio-pharyngioma, Miscellaneous like steroids, anti – epileptics drugs.

Physical complications

Type 2 diabetes -  Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way your

child's body uses sugar (glucose). Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Metabolic syndrome - Metabolic syndrome isn't a disease itself, but a cluster of conditions that can put your child at risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or other health problems. This cluster of conditions includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, low HDL ("good") cholesterol and excess abdominal fat.

High cholesterol and high blood pressure - child can develop high blood pressure or high cholesterol if he or she eats a poor diet. These factors can contribute to the buildup of plaques in the arteries. These plaques can cause arteries to narrow and harden, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke later in life.

Asthma - Children who are overweight or obese may be more likely to have asthma.

Sleep disorders - Obstructive sleep apnea is a potentially serious disorder in which a child's breathing repeatedly stops and starts when he or she sleeps. It can be a complication of childhood obesity.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) - This disorder, which usually causes no symptoms, causes fatty deposits to build up in the liver. NAFLD can lead to scarring and liver damage.

Early puberty or menstruation - Being obese can create hormone imbalances that

may cause puberty to start earlier than expected.

Social and emotional complications

Low selfesteem and bullying - Children often tease or bully their overweight peers, who suffer a loss of selfesteem and an increased risk of depression as a result.

Behavior and learning problems - Overweight children tend to have more anxiety and poorer social skills than normal weight children have. At one extreme, these problems may lead overweight children to act out and disrupt their classrooms. At the other, they may cause overweight children to socially withdraw.

Depression - Low selfesteem can create overwhelming feelings of hopelessness in some overweight children. When children lose hope that their lives will improve, they may become depressed. A depressed child may lose interest in normal activities, sleep more than usual or cry a lot. Some depressed children hide their sadness and appear emotionally flat instead. Either way, depression is as serious in children as in adults.

MANAGEMENT

Some tips to avoid overweight and obesity in childrens

Parents and other caregivers can play an important role in helping children build healthy eating and physical activity habits that will last a lifetime.

·        To help child develop healthy habits, be a positive role model. Children are good learners and they often mimic what they see. Choose healthy foods and active pastimes for yourself.

·        Educate the whole family in building healthy eating and physical activity habits. This benefits everyone and doesn't single out the child who is overweight.

·        A healthy eating plan limits foods that lead to weight gain. Foods that should be limited include these: fats that are solid at room temperature (like butter and lard), foods that are high in calories, sugar, and salt like sugary drinks, chips, cookies, fries, and candy, refined grains (white flour, rice, and pasta)

·        Just like adults, children should replace unhealthy foods with a variety of healthy foods, including these: fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and whole grains like brown rice, fatfree or lowfat, milk and milk products or substitutes, like soy beverages that have added calcium and vitamin D, lean meats, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, soy products, and eggs

·        Keep healthy snack foods on hand like airpopped popcorn without butter, fresh, frozen, dried, or canned fruit served plain or with lowfat yogurt, fresh vegetables like baby carrots, cucumber, zucchini, or tomatoes

·        Kids need about 60 minutes of physical activity a day, but this doesn't have to happen all at once. Several short 10 or even 5minute periods of activity throughout the day are just as good. If children are not used to being active, encourage them to start with what they can do and build up to 60 minutes a day.

·        Exercise like catching and throwing a ball, climbing on a jungle gym or climbing wall, dancing, jumping rope and playing hopscotch helps in reducing weight.

·        Encourage child to join a sports team or class, such as basketball, dance, or soccer at school or at your local community or recreation center. If child feels uncomfortable participating in activities like sports, help him or her find physical activities that are fun and not competitive, such as dancing to music, playing tag, jumping rope, or riding a bike.

HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

Homoeopathy is one of the most popular holistic systems of medicine. The selection of remedy is based upon the theory of individualization and symptoms similarity by using holistic approach. This is the only way through which a state of complete health can be regained by removing all the sign and symptoms from which the patient is suffering. The aim of homoeopathy is not only to treat childhood obesity but to address its underlying cause and individual susceptibility. As far as therapeutic medication is concerned, several remedies are available to treat obesity in children that can be selected on the basis of cause, sensations and modalities of the complaints. For individualized remedy selection and treatment, the patient should consult a qualified homeopathic doctor in person. A holistic approach considering the lifestyle, personal habits, food habits, inclusion of nutrients and diet, etc. along with homoeopathic treatment helps in overcoming overweight and obesity of children’s. The medicines given below indicate the therapeutic affinity but this is not a complete and definite guide to the treatment of this condition.

Medicine	Indication
Ammonium  muriaticum	Especially suited to those who are fat and sluggish and whose bodies are large and fat with large buttocks, fatty tumors and thin legs. All mucus secretions are increased and retained. Generally suffering from respiratory troubles and associated affections of liver. Obstinate constipation accompanied by much flatus. Hard, crumbling stools require great effort in expulsion; crumble from the verge of anus.
Thyroidinum	It produces anemia, emaciation, muscular weakness, and sweating, tingling and increased heart rate. It exerts great influence over goiter and excessive obesity and acts best in females with paleness and uterine fibroids or mammary tumors.
Antimonium crudum	Obesity in young people with excessive irritability and fretfulness together with a thickly coated white tongue. All the conditions aggravate by heat and cold bathing. Tendency to grow fat. For children and young people inclined to grow fat, for the extremes of life. Old people with morning diarrhea suddenly become constipated or alternate diarrhea and constipation, pulse hard and rapid. Sensitive to the cold. < After taking cold. Child is fretful, peevish, cannot bear to be touched or looked at, sulky, and does not wish to speak or be spoken to, angry at every little attention. Great sadness, with weeping. Longing for acids and pickles. Gastric and intestinal affections: from bread and pastry; acids, especially vinegar; sour or bad wine; after cold bathing; overheating; hot weather. Worse – After eating; cold baths, acids or sour wine; after heat of sun or fire; extremes of cold or heat. Better – In the open air; during rest; after a warm bath.
Graphites	Tendency to obesity in females with delayed menstruation. The patients are stout, of fair complexion and tendency to skin affections and constipation, fat, chilly and costive. Take cold easily. Tendency to obesity and swollen genitals with indurations of tissues.
Phytollaca	An important remedy for obesity. Reduces fat and false growths. It is preeminently a glandular remedy with glandular swellings –heat and inflammations. Helps to reduce fat and thus reduce weight. It is useful in rheumatism of syphilitic origin where the pains are wandering, shifting and shooting. Burning in throat as from coal fire and cannot swallow hot liquids. General soreness, lameness, bruised feeling over whole body causes the patient to groan. Intense prostration, sitting upright makes him faint and dizzy. Mother tincture is used for weight reduction.
Fucus	A good remedy for obesity and nontoxic goiter (also exophthalmic). Digestion is improved and flatulence diminished. Obstinate constipation. Thyroid enlargement in obese people.
Calcarea arsenicum	Complaints in fat women around climacteric or women approaching climaxis. The females tend to become fleshy and obese around menopause. Chilliness with dropsicalaffections. Cancer of uterus, affections of spleen and mesenteric glands are often found associated. Great mental depression. The slightest emotion causes palpitation of heart
Capsicum	Suits nicely those people who are of lax fibers, weak, diminished vital heat, fat/obese, indolent and have no vital heat or no reactive force. General uncleanliness of body and opposed to physical exertion. Burning pains and general chilliness with marked tendency to suppuration in every inflammatory process are found.
Phosphorus	Persons of waxy, translucent skin, half anemic, young people growing too rapidly, fair, blondes, quick and hemorrhagic diathesis. It affects the nutrition and function of every tissue of body. It causes pseudohypertrophy of muscles. Adapted to tall slender persons of sanguine temperament, fair skin, delicate eyelashes, find blond or red hair, quick perceptions, and very sensitive nature. Young people, who grow too rapidly, are inclined to stoop who are chlorotic or anemic; old people, with morning diarrhea. Hemorrhagic diathesis; small wounds bleed profusely from every mucous outlet. Longs for: cold food and drink; juicy, refreshing things; ice cream > gastric pains. As soon as water becomes warm in stomach it is thrown up. Worse – Evening, before midnight, lying on left or painful side; during a thunderstorm; weather changes, either hot or cold. Cold air relieves the head and face symptoms but aggravates those of chest, throat and neck. Better – In the dark; lying on right side; from being rubbed or mesmerized; from cold food, cold water, until it gets warm.
Lac defloratum	Useful in obesity and where diseases are associated with faulty nutrition. Sick headaches with intense throbbing, nausea and vomiting, prostration and all complaints aggravated during menses.
Kali bichromicum	It is specially indicated for fleshy, fat, light haired complexioned people with scrofulous or syphilitic history. Symptoms tend to increase in the morning and all pains migrate quickly with rheumatic and gastric symptoms alternating. Catarrhal stage of all mucus membranes.
Pulsatilla	It is preeminently a female remedy with tendency to obesity in mild, gentle, yielding females who are sad, cry easily and weeps when talking. The symptoms are changeable and contradictory. The patient seeks the open air and feels better in it. Thirstlessness and chilliness in fat females. Aversion to fatty foods, still grows obese. Adapted to persons ofmild, gentle, timid, yielding disposition – the woman’s remedy. Weeps easily: almost impossible to detail her ailments without weeping. Especially, in diseases of women and children. Women inclined to be fleshy, with scanty and protracted menstrual tion.
Sepia	Obesity in females with weakness, yellow complexion and bearing down sensations. Pains extend down to back and patient chills easily. Obesity in menopausal females with hot flushes and perspirations. Particularly sensitive to cold air, “chills so easily;” lack of vital heat, especially in chronic diseases. Great sadness and weeping. Dread of being alone; of men; of meeting friends; with uterine troubles. Indifferent: even to one’s family; to one’s occupation, to those whom she loves best. Greedy, miserly.
Senega	Especially suited for persons of lax fibers who tend to become obese and also to children who are chubby in appearance. These children usually suffer from repeated respiratory catarrhal affections where rattling cough and profuse mucus but difficult raising are characteristics.