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
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Ammonium muriaticum
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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.
|
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Thyroidinum
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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.
|
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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.
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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.
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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.
|
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Fucus
|
A good remedy for obesity and nontoxic goiter (also exophthalmic).
Digestion is improved and flatulence diminished. Obstinate constipation.
Thyroid enlargement in obese people.
|
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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
|
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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.
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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.
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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.
|
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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.
|
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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.
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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.
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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.
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