Overweight in children: causes, prevention and treatment. What are the causes of excess weight in infants? Why there are more and more overweight children and what to do about it

Everyone likes rosy-cheeked butuzes who smile and look at their parents with joyful eyes. These chubby arms and legs in folds are delightful, and after three or more years they are alarming. And the older your round peanut gets, the more difficult it will be for him to communicate on an equal footing with his peers. What to do if your child is fat?

Obesity vs Overweight: What's the Difference?

Often such concepts as "obesity" and "overweight" are confused. In most cases, they are considered identical. However, this is not quite true. The fact is that not always when a child is fat, he suffers from obesity. Almost each of us has one that matches our age and height.

If, for some reason, this norm is violated (in the direction of its increase), then this will indicate the appearance of excess weight(i.e. above the norm). Excess weight can both easily appear and disappear under the influence of a set of measures, such as diet and increased physical activity.

Obesity, on the other hand, is very complex and dangerous disease, the main symptoms of which are considered to be rapidly increasing body weight. One can talk about obesity when the amount of useful energy consumed with food is ten times higher than it. As a result, characteristic fat deposits appear on the body of children, which only increase with time.

At the same time, it is not so easy for such a child to lose weight. Most often, obesity is caused by a variety of inherited diseases, disorders metabolic processes and other ailments. This photo of a fat child clearly demonstrates the problem children face with obesity.

What are the causes of overweight in children?

As the well-known pediatrician Komarovsky says: “Children should be thin and with an awl in their ass.” Therefore, problems with extra pounds that your baby has appeared should cause concern, especially among adults. But in order to deal with this trouble, you need to look at the root and identify the causes of excess weight in children. For example, one of the most common causes is heredity. This can also be attributed chronic diseases, heart disease and other ailments leading to weight problems.

The second reason, when parents have fat children, is a violation of metabolic processes, slow metabolism, etc. And if in the first and second cases nothing really depends on the child and his parents, then the third reason is directly related to education and proper nutrition. For example, if it is customary in a family to eat exclusively semi-finished products and fatty foods, then a baby growing up in such an environment is unlikely to be slim and thin.

In addition, fat children often grow up in families where parents are too busy to give them proper attention. In other words, an extremely busy mom or dad simply has no time or is too lazy to warm up soup or porridge for their child. Instead, they buy them chips, cookies, french fries, and other tasty but high-calorie foods.

What other situations can lead to childhood obesity?

One of the leading Lately The reasons are children's fascination with computer games. Getting excited, schoolchildren and children younger age simply do not move away from the next gaming application. They literally eat without getting up. But since they do not want to spend time warming up and putting food on a plate, chocolate bars, seeds, flour products, crackers, etc. often become their favorite food. And this is all again very high in calories.

In addition, the fattest children grow up with parents in whose family there are certain social problems. This also includes the difficulties of the child in the team. So, a common situation is when, in the process of communicating with peers, a baby may experience fear, discomfort, and other sensations. If the child is unable to discuss his psychological condition with dad or mom (or he doesn’t find mutual understanding with them either), the baby begins to “seize” them at the time of a difficult psychological situation.

The installation also negatively affects the baby. certain rules at the table, for example, when the child is regularly reminded that he must eat his portion to the last crumb. As a result, the child is fat, as he gets used to and always tries to follow these rules.

In addition, grandmothers often add fuel to the fire, who now and then try to feed their grandchildren with cookies, freshly baked pancakes, donuts and other goodies from the oven.

What are the causes of excess weight in infants?

Sometimes weight problems are observed not only in children after a year, but also in more young age. Why is this happening? For example, if you have fat baby breastfeeding, this may indicate an incorrect ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the diet of a nursing mother. Also, genes can be the cause of childhood obesity. That is, obese parents most often give birth to children with similar problems.

If infant is on the fact that one of the reasons for his excessive weight gain is improper preparation of the mixture. Often, mothers dilute the milk formula not strictly according to the instructions, but “by eye”, which leads to overeating. The same thing happens when a baby is fed from a bottle that contains an opening that is too large. As a result, the baby eats food much faster than the satiety signal enters his brain. As a result, the child does not get enough, and the mother gives him another bottle and overfeeds. This photo of a fat child speaks of a similar problem of infancy obesity.

What is child paratrophy?

Paratrophy is a term applied to obese children under 3 years of age. Three stages of this disease are known:

• when the child's weight is more than normal by 10-20%;
• when excess weight exceeds the norm by 25-35%;
• when overweight is above the norm by 40-50%.

If your child is fat and has paratrophy, then he either eats too much or his daily diet is not balanced. These children are characterized by common signs:

• having a very short neck;
• small size of the chest;
• the presence of rounded parts of the body;
• the presence of characteristic fat deposits in the waist, abdomen and hips.

Why is paratrophy dangerous?

Paratrophy is often complicated allergic reactions, disorders, there are problems with digestion and metabolism, as well as with the respiratory system. In addition, many experts are simply sure that well-fed children endure SARS much more difficult than children with a graceful figure. As soon as they catch a cold, they begin to have a prolonged runny nose, accompanied by severe swelling mucous and other troubles. Fat while walking and running. He often has shortness of breath and profuse sweating.

What threatens children with obesity?

Childhood obesity can lead to comorbidities. For example, obese children can get diabetes, hypertension, cirrhosis of the liver, coronary heart disease. They may also experience:

• cardiovascular diseases;
• high blood pressure;
• atherosclerosis;
• chronic cholecystitis;
• frequent constipation;
• fatty hepatosis.

In addition, a fat child, due to its large body mass, moves less. He has inferiority complexes and difficulties in communicating with peers. The heavy weight interferes normal development bones, which leads to deformation of the skeleton and knee joints.

How to determine if a child is obese or not?

If you have a baby under one year old, and you suspect that he has problems with obesity, you must first check for compliance with the norm of his weight. This can be done according to the table established by the Ministry of Health (see it below). Here is the age and norm in grams. Therefore, for convenience, doctors advise creating a similar plate for yourself and adding your child's weight to it from the moment of birth. Thus, it is possible to determine how much the body weight of a baby or teenager meets the established standard.

You can also determine problems with weight visually (for this, it is worth comparing the external parameters of your child's body with his peers). In addition, a fat child (we will tell you how to lose weight for him later) will gain weight very quickly. This will be seen, first of all, in clothing.

How much the weight corresponds to the age of your baby, the therapist can tell you. It will not be superfluous to contact an endocrinologist.

The child is fat: what to do?

If you find weight deviations from the norm in your child, do not rush to panic. First you need to consult with experts. Remember that being overweight is more of a consequence than a cause. Therefore, it is necessary to initially identify the cause of obesity in a child. To do this, you should make an appointment with an endocrinologist, pass the appropriate tests.

If you have a fat child at 2 years old for no reason proper nutrition, it will not be superfluous to sign up with a nutritionist. He will help you make the right diet for you, tell you which foods you can eat and which ones you can’t. will give helpful tips and recommendations.

If a similar problem is observed in an artificial baby, consult with pediatrician about the correct introduction of complementary foods and about the dosage. Try to add greens to the diet of older children, reduce the amount of easily digestible and harmful carbohydrates, replace sugary carbonated drinks with natural fruit and vegetable juices.

Steam more and bake food in the oven with a minimum amount of fat. Cook jelly and fruit drinks without a lot of sugar. Replace White bread bran, Borodino, coarse grinding. Type in children's diet fruit dishes. Eliminate snacks in the form of cookies and sweets. Let the baby better eat an apple, carrots, dried fruits, dates, raisins or nuts.

Sport is strength and the path to an ideal figure

Active children are rarely overweight, so children who are prone to obesity should be given to some kind of sport. More often play with them in the yard and on the street in active games, such as football, badminton. An ordinary jump rope perfectly copes with excess body fat. Young children should regularly exercise using a large fitball. In this sense, children's yoga and gymnastics will also be useful.

What not to do with obesity?

At childhood obesity It is not recommended to self-medicate. There is no need to put children on an adult diet or force them to work hard on the press. Everything should be in moderation and agreed with experts. For example, if you decide that your child needs intensive physical exercise For starters, consult your doctor. Otherwise, ignoring the advice of experts can lead to unpredictable consequences.

You can’t let everything take its course, since the lack of treatment leads to disastrous results for the child.

In a word, watch the weight of your children, walk more on fresh air, go in for sports and contact specialists in a timely manner!

Mothers of babies often proudly tell friends and relatives how well the baby is gaining weight after birth - pediatricians look at special tables and rejoice at the introduction of complementary foods on time, touching babies with plump pink cheeks and with handles in constrictions look at us from children's advertisements.

Meanwhile, the problem of excess weight - real threat child's health. How to determine the moment when it is time to stop touching and face the truth? At what age should you worry about counting calories and what to do if it is already obvious that the lack of action - on the part of parents, of course, in the first place - will very quickly crush your beloved little man with a non-childish burden of illness? How to protect a child from possible problems in relationships with peers?

What do the statistics say?

The situation is not too happy - statistics show that every sixth child on the planet between the ages of 2 and 19 has some amount of excess weight, with which something can and must be done. And the same statistics claim that most mothers and fathers refuse to understand and accept the extent of the problem, even if information about the overweight of the child is presented to them in plain text: only 23% of parents immediately agree to help their offspring, while the rest prefer to pretend that the problem does not exist at all.

Many parents tend to feel guilty when it becomes clear that the child needs help: society places the responsibility for being overweight on them. But it is obvious, and research confirms this, that it is often a matter of specific features development of the child himself, his metabolism and eating habits, which are sometimes very difficult for parents to influence. In any case, you need to start by identifying excess weight as a fact.

How do you know if a child is overweight?

To begin with, it makes sense to consult the same children's weight and age correspondence tables - it is better to take those that the WHO uses, they have a very wide “fork” of the norm, tied to a certain age up to adolescence. If the child falls into the standard - even at its upper limit - therefore, you should not worry too much, but if you are worried about being overweight, it makes sense to limit some products and increase sports loads- more on that below.

If the weight exceeds allowable norms, it is worth talking about the presence of one degree or another of obesity - and then the solution to the problem definitely should not be shelved. Of course, the most reasonable thing to do would be to consult a pediatrician first, and then a nutritionist. Already according to their recommendations it will be clear what to do next.

What will a competent doctor do?

A correctly chosen specialist will be able to accurately determine how serious the existing problem is and whether it exists at all - he will calculate the child's body mass index, compare it with the existing table, carefully study the history of the development and growth of the child, evaluate family history and information about the physique of ancestors.

Only after that will a verdict be received on whether there is a problem of excess weight, how serious the situation is and what, in fact, to do with it. Perhaps, in order to clarify the full picture, the doctor will write out referrals to other highly specialized specialists in order to clarify incomprehensible questions. If, despite the fact that the child is very ahead of his peers in weight and height, his development will not cause any doubts, he will send the whole family to grow in health and further with a clear conscience.

What is the danger of being overweight?

Excess kilograms is not only aesthetic problems and possible difficulties in communicating with peers, for example, in active games. It is also a row possible complications with health. We list the most common.

type 2 diabetes

This is a chronic disease associated with a failure in the processing of sugar - glucose. One of the most simple ways earn it in early age obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

metabolic syndrome

It's a complex physiological problems, which dramatically increase the possibility of developing cardiovascular diseases and ailments associated with metabolic disorders.

high cholesterol

Cholesterol impairs blood flow by creating plaque in the arteries. This can cause heart attacks and strokes in the indefinite future.

Asthma

Here the reason is not entirely clear, but the relationship is clearly established: children with overweight are at risk for developing asthma without other visible reasons. As soon as the problem of excess weight is eliminated, the threat of asthma, as a rule, disappears.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

The disease is dangerous because the accumulation of fat in the liver is asymptomatic - neither the parents, nor even the child himself have time to notice that the situation is close in its picture to the classic cirrhosis of the liver - then it is much more difficult to act than to try to prevent the disease.

Why do children get overweight?

There is no single answer. The situation is more or less clear when both parents and children have excess weight - then we can talk about unhealthy family problems. eating habits, love for fast food and inattention to physical activity. You can include in the overall picture and genetic predisposition.

But it also happens that a child of fit and slender parents is clearly overweight, other children in in perfect order, are slim and healthy, and one of the children is clearly with problems. Recognizing the difficulties in establishing clear and distinct boundaries and causes of overweight, doctors speak with more or less caution about the following factors.

Unbalanced diet

In other words, the same unfortunate fast food, constant snacking on the go, and addiction to factory-made sweets (including drinks, among which, by the way, are actively sold under the banner of “healthy and natural” - fruit juice).

lack of movement

Everything is obvious and simple here: how much energy comes in, so much should be spent. Lack of physical activity very quickly leads to an increase in extra pounds and centimeters.

Psychological factors

Children, just like adults, often “seize” real or imagined problems. “Sweetening” your gray or boring and dull life is a sure way to earn more more problems, and they will certainly be completely real.

Socio-economic factors

The lack of funds in the family budget, unfortunately, drastically limits access to fresh vegetables and fruits and vitamins, but it forces parents to buy the cheapest - and often the poorest quality - sweets in order to somehow please the baby.

What should I do if my child is overweight?

As a basis, it is best to take a list of actions that a specialist will advise a particular child after complete examination and study of all causes. If there are no other indications and contraindications that require special correction, the actions may be as follows.

Do not give your child sugary drinks - we are talking about carbonated factory sweet waters and fruit "juices". It is best to switch to freshly squeezed juices without sugar, fruit drinks and compotes.

Try to feed your child as many vegetables and fruits as possible - be prepared that it will take some time to adapt to new eating habits.

Try to have lunch or dinner with the whole family at least once a day - at this time, remove gadgets from your field of vision, turn off the TV and enjoy not only food, but also full communication with each other.

Limit the number of snacks - and carefully follow this rule. Children are sometimes much more inventive than we think.

Find suitable type physical activity, it is possible for the whole family - dancing or swimming, for example, are great for those who do not want to engage in serious sports.

Overweight in children.

The problem of overweight in children is deepening every year, acquiring catastrophic proportions in developed countries around the world! Not only obesity, but even fullness causes a lot of problems in a child, not only with health. In addition to threatening to increase with age, childhood obesity is a major cause of childhood hypertension, is associated with type II diabetes, increases the risk of coronary heart disease, increases pressure on weight-bearing joints, lowers self-esteem, and affects peer relationships.

And, of course, overweight in children is one of those vivid examples when parents can and should (!) Do everything so that the child does not suffer from childhood, in general, an adult problem

After all, there is no such thing as congenital obesity in children - absolutely all children at birth have a normal amount of fat cells, even if mom and dad are champions in extra pounds. But if the parents have enough magnificent forms, there is a high probability that their child will be obese. And all because they usually feed him, as they are used to always eating themselves - a lot and very tasty, and the diet of such a family can hardly be attributed to a healthy diet, this is a banal overeating, to which the child is gradually accustomed, surrendering to the power of bad adult habits. As a result, fat cells grow by leaps and bounds. This is the most common way for the development of obesity in children, when their body weight exceeds the ideal by 20% or more.

The stock of adipose tissue is already in newborns. The body needs it, since the metabolic rate of a child in the first year of life is very high: in a year he needs to increase body weight by three to four times. For this, an excess of energy is needed, and fatty acids are its main supplier. In principle, the properties of a growing organism in themselves prevent the accumulation of excess body weight, because the child is in constant motion. But all children are different. A calm, sedentary child has unused nutrients that are stored as fat. And if the accumulation of excess mass occurs in early childhood, then it is not easy to get rid of it. Because the accumulation of fat cells in babies goes on a completely different principle than in adults.

Obesity in children has its own characteristics - the maximum overweight are recruited in the interval from 7 to 10 years, and fat deposits are most pronounced on the lower half of the body - the hips, buttocks, and, unfortunately, they will never disappear. Only intensive physiotherapy procedures and massage can reduce the volume of problem areas.

At balanced diet The "arrival" of energy with food is equal to the "expenditure". If this does not happen, you must first conduct a medical examination to find out the cause of extra pounds. Take a referral from your local pediatrician and, without delay, take your child to a consultation! The sooner the causes of excess weight are identified and treatment is prescribed, the fewer problems you will have to face in the future! And if it turns out that no physiological reasons there is no obesity, then you need to look for psychological reasons!

And, if children are not yet so much faced with problems, especially psychological and social problems associated with obesity, then teenagers already have to sip them with a vengeance! The ridicule of peers, the inability to share with them many entertainments associated with physical activity, and as a result, the development of complexes and neuroses, bring many of them, who are obese, to the verge of despair. Unfortunately, there are children's complexes only thanks to adults - when they begin to compare children with each other and give each a different assessment. And if parents try to protect their child from this, then, getting into the tough social environment of kindergartens and schools, they will sooner or later find out that they are not so good and beautiful and gradually realize that they are outcasts, and only because of that which is thicker than those around them.

The most unpleasant is, of course, school childhood, when classmates, without stopping at nothing, constantly beat on weak points their fat peers, thus feeling their superiority. No less dangerous is the attitude of parents, when in an often veiled form, constantly emphasizes handicap child, which can lead to more serious problems with self-doubt and communication with others.

It is not worth talking about the upbringing of our society, in which in any place you can hear thrown in the back, frankly mocking remarks about the proportions of the figure. The real test is an ordinary shopping trip, when the sellers, looking at the child with pity, say that clothes of this size are rare. The same attitude awaits, especially overweight teenagers, at the hairdresser's, at the beautician's and in many other places.

It turns out that only slender peers deserve the best, they are, by definition, smarter and more beautiful, and it is a shame to be fat, they are supposed to suffer from reproaches and ridicule. As a result, having accumulated in the very tender age children's complexes due to excess weight, they are embarrassed to be themselves and live as easily and freely as others in adulthood. Rejection and misunderstanding - that's what scares the child and leads to children's complexes when overweight. The main thing is to avoid situations where their completeness will be visible to others.

As a result, they withdraw into themselves, trying to suppress the growing anxiety known to them. ways: by taking the next portion of food or by some kind of activity, for example, computer games. All this, of course, does not lead to weight loss, but quite the contrary. Children are getting fatter and fatter, besides, they become addicted to sedentary entertainment. It turns out vicious circle, which, alas, is very difficult to break.

But children especially want to be the best, they believe that only appearance determines their life and are ready for anything to become slim, beautiful and athletic. And the first task of adults surrounding a child is to do everything possible to cure their child, because obesity has long been recognized as a disease that requires comprehensive treatment from a good and attentive doctor. But it is very important, in parallel with medical events, carry out getting rid of accumulated children's complexes with excess weight.

Parents should talk more with their children, share their difficulties and experiences. They should lead by example. healthy lifestyle life by giving up smoking and alcohol, as well as hamburgers and chocolate bars, by welcoming the consumption of vegetables, fruits and lean meats, and thereby giving their children a chance to be perfectly healthy in the future. The child must know for sure that, despite the problems he has, he is a unique person who is also available to mental and physical development and who can handle any achievement. And being different from others is a prerequisite for a Personality with a capital letter!

Of course, childhood obesity begins with the regime that children learn in the family, literally from the age of 2. The main reason is the lack of food culture. Naturally, hypodynamia also plays a role - for some it is more pleasant to lie on the couch than to take a walk in the park with the whole family. But, often parents do not realize the responsibility that lies with them to prevent a threat to the health of their children.

Therefore, there is no doubt that drastic measures are needed to prevent serious diseases among overweight children in the near future. But the family should be the first to defend, and do everything possible so that the child grows up healthy, the recipe for which is well known - proper nutrition and physical activity. And then talk about other methods of treatment - diet, drugs that reduce the absorption of fats and carbohydrates, psychotherapy, physiotherapy, reflexology.

Temperament and heredity are the last to blame for childhood obesity. Recently, Americans who studied the degree of fatness of adopted children drew attention to the fact that in overweight adoptive mothers, children who used to have normal body weight also become overweight. This means that it is not only and not so much the genetic factor that is to blame, but the wrong eating behavior parents and questionable food quality. So let's change them before it's too late.

And it will be too late when the child reaches puberty and the body is finally formed. And do not be deceived about the fact that this is still far away. If a hundred years ago it was believed that girls, for example, finally mature by the age of sixteen, now, thanks to the notorious acceleration, this happens already at 11-12 years old (it has been established that the critical weight at which the reproductive function of girls is turned on is 48 kg). Until this time, you need to try to have time to adjust the weight of the child. Weight management is hard work. If only because the reasons increased appetite not fully explored. Some scientists give this explanation: if the stomach is constantly working and does not have time to rest, a state of excitation is reflexively maintained in the food center of the brain. And it also causes a constant desire to eat.

Children who do not have a relationship with their parents, who are acutely experiencing failures in school, feel loneliness and longing, eat more or less than necessary, without noticing it themselves. Food becomes the equivalent of spiritual comfort or a signal of discomfort. Here, regular, interested conversations about the affairs of the child can partly help, but not over food. Satisfied need for communication - main factor full-fledged mental development a child, which manifests itself in optimism, self-confidence and allows him to be himself, enjoy life and fully realize his inclinations. This is especially important for children under ten years of age, since at this age they are not yet able to independently solve their problems. psychological problems and therefore need the help of adults.

From this begins the strategy and tactics of losing weight. Next, you need to break the habit of eating everything time or eat too much. Psychologists believe that attempts to protect a child from overeating by prohibition are no less dangerous than force-feeding. Therefore, you should not forbid, but first look at yourself and try to change your own eating habits.

But suppose, in the family, only the mother is concerned about the weight of the child, and the father - as he ate everything around the clock, he will eat and is not going to make efforts on himself. What to do then? After all, a child who sees such a passion for food from birth will also forever hang around the open door of the refrigerator. Well, do not lock, in fact, the refrigerator! Yes, and this is harmful: the forbidden fruit is sweet, and an unhealthy psychological fixation on food can occur. It is not necessary to hope that a child with abnormal body weight will regulate the amount of food himself.

This situation is generally dramatic. And the only thing that a mother can do is to voluntarily stop "bitching", providing a strict breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner, without intermediate snacks.

But so that the child does not feel left out during breaks, there should always be fruit on the table. It is also necessary to fill the breaks with fruit because sometimes, with an illness or a lack of communication with the mother, the gaps seem to the child to be too long. As a result of a long wait, he eats much more than he needs, and slowly gains excess weight. At the same time, the favorable moment for optimal assimilation of food is missed. But a snack should not consist of only fruits, at least a minimum amount of fat must be supplied - a couple of nuts, a sip of kefir, a small piece of cheese plus an apple or an orange will be a great snack. But only ONE between meals.

Another way to deal with overeating is diet. But the whole family will also have to participate in this. Because the child will be extremely offended if every day he is given tasteless porridge on the water, while everyone around eats delicious cutlets and bread with jam. Feeling left out, the child will crave even more flour and sweets, and everything that he is deprived of at mealtimes, he will make up for later, when he gets to the refrigerator or to the candy store. It is necessary to protect the child from temptations imperceptibly, only occasionally, on holidays, giving him high-calorie desserts. You can not keep cookies and pies in the house. Portions should be small. Gradually, the child will get used to eating like this, and as an adult, he will limit himself to food.

In the treatment of excess weight, children have their own characteristics - at the age of up to 7 years, if children do not have other health problems, the goal of treatment should be to maintain weight at the current level, so that over time, extra pounds simply turn into centimeters of height. But weight loss is recommended only for children older than 7 years. And weight loss should be slow - from 400 grams per week to 500 grams per month (depending on the initial weight).

Methods for the treatment of excess weight in children exactly the same as in adults. Of course, the first point in the treatment of excess weight in children is diet and balanced nutrition. After all, the main cause of obesity is the consumption of more calories than necessary. And here everything depends not on the child himself, but on the adults who surround him, take care of him and feed him. Therefore, you will have to start changes in nutrition, first of all, with the diet of the whole family.

First of all, listen to good advice doctors and give preference to vegetables and fruits rather than foods high in sugar or cholesterol. Buy natural, healthy snacks. Try to cook foods with healthier recipes, such as baking or boiling foods instead of frying them. Simply limiting the amount of sugar in drinks, including those containing fruit juice, can also have an effect. These drinks provide little nutritional value but are high in calories. They also clog up the child's stomach, and he is no longer able to eat anything healthier.

Put colorful food on the table: green and yellow vegetables, fruits of various colors, bread Brown(from whole grains). Limit Products white color, these are carbohydrates such as: rice, pasta, white bread and sugar, desserts. Introduce a wonderful tradition of eating with your family, at which time share the news or tell interesting stories from life. It's better than restaurants fast food, the main products in which - fatty food high in cholesterol.

Do not let children eat in front of the TV or computer, this encourages mindless chewing. And never use food as a reward or punishment. Children who lead a sedentary lifestyle inevitably gain weight because they do not burn calories through physical activity. Activities such as watching TV or computer games Free time only exacerbates the problem.

And sports will help not only in the treatment of excess weight in children, but also form strong bones and muscles.
, and strengthen nervous system. Habitual physical activity will help in adolescence maintain a healthy weight despite hormonal changes, fast growth and social influences that often lead to excess food intake. Therefore, make the child move more by choosing an activity to his liking - ordinary walks, a bicycle, jumping rope will help to actively burn calories.

Don't forget that change has to start with the parents - don't be lazy and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Come up with such active classes, which the whole family can do together - shovel snow from the road or sculpt a snowman. Bring constant variety. Let the child do own choice, for example, to choose a lesson or time and day of the week. All these from changes can be very significant for your family, so do not change established habits too abruptly, start with healthier food and a more active lifestyle, followed by weight loss and good health. This is something you can do yourself.

In addition, it is very important to involve not only the district pediatrician in this, but also nurse and educators in kindergarten! Adjusting the daily menu, the size of portions, involving the child in outdoor games, giving him some additional physical activity (for example, go to another group for something, help set the table, water the flowers, etc.) is not easy their direct duty, but also a moral obligation to educate a healthy generation!

If it turns out that your child needs more substantial help, then contact the experts! They are armed with the most radical methods of treating excess weight in children - medications And surgical intervention, which are used, however, only with progressive obesity III degree. But in the vast majority of cases, the treatment of excess weight in children does not reach this point, methods such as physiotherapy, massage, reflexology, psychotherapy and others help.

Chubby baby with a good appetite - standard image healthy child. But time is running, and the hero turns into a clumsy teenage clumsy, embarrassed by his appearance. How to make sure this doesn't happen?

text: Tatyana Gaverdovskaya

Experts

Mikhail Ginzburg,

doctor of medical sciences, nutritionist, psychotherapist

Tatiana Borovik,

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Healthy and Sick Child Nutrition Science Center health of children of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, member of the Executive Committee of the Union of Pediatricians of Russia

All the truth

It's not even that being fat is unfashionable and ugly, that full teenager will be teased and he will not be popular. Being overweight is a real threat to health. Against this background, it may develop diabetes 2nd type, arterial hypertension and even early atherosclerosis. Possibility of posture distortion serious problems on the part of the kidneys, a violation of sexual development, which in some cases can lead to infertility. The list goes on.

The paradox of the situation is that many parents do not want to notice the problem. A recent study by Australian scientists showed that 89% of parents of 5-6 year olds and 63% of 10-12 year olds did not know what the weight of their heirs was. In addition, 71% of people did not think at all that their overweight child could have health problems in the future.

Experts explained the shocking results by the psychological peculiarity of adults, which is conventionally called "parental mentality". Moms and dads are often unable to admit that their child has a problem, and sometimes they are simply afraid of themselves and upset him.

Who is guilty?

If the child is complete, it is probably hormonal or hereditary, many are sure. Yes, such problems can lead to overweight. But more often than not, childhood obesity is the result of parental negligence.

The first reason is, of course, the food system in the family. While the child is still small, we can control his diet and teach him to eat healthy food. And the best belief, as you know, is personal example, which not everyone and not always are ready to serve. And often countless amounts of fat and simple carbohydrates, there is a habit of chewing for any reason.

The second culprit of excess weight in children is, oddly enough, games. Now the “war” and “Cossack robbers” have been replaced by a computer console ... Movements become virtual. And on the table near the computer, cookies and sweets, nuts and chips are conveniently located. Here it is a fertile environment for additional calories and kilograms.

Finally, the third source of excess weight in children is social stereotypes. No matter how much food is on the plate, you need to eat everything to the last crumb. Many adults do not even think about why they themselves were fed according to the same principle. But this is one of the most common and pernicious "distortions of education." Well, what a teenage company can be without chips or crackers? How not to “slow down” if there is no chocolate bar at hand? Yes, and eating pizza between visits to circles and tutors is becoming the norm.

On the same rake

Almost all parents, starting to deal with the overweight of the child, make the same mistakes. And the main one is open coercion to lose weight. For some reason, we are sure that a person does not realize that he is fat. And as soon as he opens his eyes to this, he immediately realizes everything and begins to lose weight. But this is often perceived as a mockery, an insult, especially when it comes to a small person with a fragile psyche and self-esteem. Telling a child or teenager: “How much do you eat!” - we provoke to eat even more. Dishes and products leading to fullness, in principle, are known to everyone. This is primarily pastries, dumplings, pasta, sausages, sausages, mayonnaise, sweets, soda. And, wishing well, we forbid even mentioning fried, fatty, sweet things in the house, thereby turning delicacies into a forbidden fruit.

In contrast, we aggressively impose diet food: "Eat, it's healthy." And the poor child has to choke on dishes that are unusual and tasteless, in his opinion. So an ardent desire to help leads to a violent conflict, as a result of which children categorically refuse to lose weight.

Clarifications, persuasion, encouragement, even competitions can help - who will lose more. The main thing - no dictatorship! Getting rid of excess weight is a long process, associated with serious self-restraint. The main thing - diet food combined with an active lifestyle. Medicines do not apply to childhood obesity.

On the benefits of diplomacy

Children in every possible way leave our vigilant food control and gorge themselves on fast food on the side. The weight is growing. What to do? The principle of five "D" will help: voluntariness, goodwill, permissiveness, duration, sufficiency. The child must voluntarily change his way of life. This is achievable if your prescriptions are unobtrusive, constructive, and immediately improve the quality of life. For example, light food does not leave a feeling of heaviness, does not interfere with games and restful sleep. In no case do not scold children for being overweight, they are not to blame. Cultivate the belief that the situation can be corrected and you will help in this. No need to defiantly throw chocolates in the trash and force the child to go up the stairs.

It is important to be aware that losing weight is not the case when you can limit yourself to a short-term campaign. After all, the goal is not so much to remove extra pounds, but to instill the need for proper nutrition and harmonious image life. Do not despair that the results of titanic efforts are not immediately noticeable. Moderate restriction of fats and sweets, encouragement of outdoor games will lead to the fact that the weight is stabilized, and growth and development will complete the transformation. All in all, the secret to success is simple: trade open pressure for covert efforts.

Tricks and tricks can be used in a variety of ways. Some parents "forget" to buy harmful products sending children after them. The reluctance to go to the store makes you take what is in the refrigerator, and there kefir and yogurt with a fat content of not 3.2%, but 1%, dietary cottage cheese. Others prepare in advance whole basins of unseasoned vegetable salads. When hunger strikes, they are always at hand. Someone referring to Hard times, reduces the amount pocket money and provides homemade snacks. And it is also important to remember: having lost the pleasures associated with the absorption of junk food, the child must receive something in return.

Lose weight together

A personal example can help a child lose weight.

Be sure to have breakfast, and porridge or cottage cheese, not coffee and sandwiches.

Eat 5-6 meals a day (3 main meals and 2-3 snacks) instead of just one at night.

Eat vegetables and fruits. A few servings per day will quietly crowd out more high-calorie foods.

Cook delicious. Even out of love for their mother, not every child will eat unattractive food. So, he will replace it with chips, chocolates and french fries.

Drink clean water, not sweet soda and juice from the package.

Skiing, skating, swimming, dancing - maybe you both like something from this list? After all, good nutrition is only half the battle. Find an excuse to lure your son or daughter out for an evening promenade.

Don't try to jump start new life- get overwhelmed and throw it away. One innovation has taken root - take on another. If it doesn't work, find a compromise.

Maintain a friendly climate at home. Excess weight is a problem that needs to be addressed, but the child should have no doubt that his parents love him in any way.

From a child's perspective

Children and teenagers do not want to lose weight because:

They do not interfere with fullness,

They don't understand what their life will be like if they get thin

They don’t know how dangerous excess weight is for health.

The first "spoon"

Many researchers believe that the obesity epidemic, which has engulfed almost the entire world, is largely due to early failure from breastfeeding. Most of the overweight children and adolescents were artificial. In addition, a child is at risk for obesity if born weighing more than 4 kg or, conversely, with insufficient body weight. Much depends on the diet of the pregnant woman. Undernutrition or overnutrition of the expectant mother can provoke childhood obesity.

Grandmother cannot get enough of plump cheeks, and mother defiantly declares that she is not going to adjust her daughter's figure to modern beauty stereotypes. Masha is silent: she is much more worried that her classmates tease her with a bun and a bomber.

An overweight child is a painful topic. And if up to three years old “chubby” and “pretty” can still be synonymous, then with age the problem becomes obvious. In our time, it is more than relevant - never before has the percentage of obese children been so high.

The reasons are banal to disgrace: low physical activity and passion for fast food. Go to any fast food restaurant - who drinks cola fries and eats it all with a hamburger? Children! Look at the baby part buffet in hotels - nuggets, fried potatoes, sausages and happy kids with full plates. And if some manage to maintain harmony at the same time, then others, due to heredity, individual features and lifestyle gain extra pounds. What to do if your child is at risk of joining the ranks of the "dumplings"?

1. Look objectively

The first step to solving any problem is acknowledging it. In the case of children, this is especially difficult, because many parents subconsciously perceive their difficulties as their own failure. And they vehemently reject it. The bone is wide; to my grandmother (uncle, aunt Lucy went); happiness is not in thinness; this is such an age; will grow up, and the kilograms will go away by themselves - this is a small part of the explanations and self-consolations. Recently, I was present at a conversation with a grandmother, who was extremely concerned (and I must say, not without reason) about the weight of her granddaughter. “But her fullness does not spoil her, she is so cheerful, charming, she has many friends,” someone assured her. “Yes,” the grandmother nodded in agreement, “but becoming slim, she will not lose friends or charm. But at the same time he will be able to climb to the third floor without shortness of breath.

Excessive fullness threatens the health of the child and complicates his life. Yes, it so happened that this problem exists, and we need to solve it - not to look for someone to blame, not to scold stereotypes, but be guided by love for the child and care for him.

2. Understand the reason

There are three periods in which the risk of developing obesity is especially high: from birth to 3 years, from 5 to 7 years, and finally, adolescence, from 12 to 17 years.

With a failure in metabolism and other disorders in the body, of course, it is impossible to deal with it without the help of a doctor. But there is another, more banal reason - a daily excess of fats, carbohydrates and calories in general. It's no secret that most overweight children love to eat: tasty, fatty, salty, smoked and sweet.

Often this turns into an addiction. Psychologists say that such overeating is often caused by a misunderstanding of loved ones, a lack of friends, a feeling of loneliness and defenselessness. Overeating leads to excess weight, which increases the number of teasing in the team, leads to stress that you have to seize. And a strict diet will not help here - it will lead to breakdowns and a decrease in self-esteem. It is necessary to understand inner world child.

In addition, the reason may be family traditions overfeeding, when care is manifested exclusively in the form of goodies, family evening is inconceivable without a cake or buns, and as a consolation, the baby will certainly be given a candy or a cookie. The stomach of a child who is constantly fed, stretches and begins to demand more and more food.

3. Don't make a weight loss cult

Sometimes parents go to the other extreme - they constantly criticize and intimidate the child, stuff them with boiled vegetables and instill a craving for sports. But, like any strict restrictions, this backfires.

A gradual and unobtrusive change in habits will be much more effective. Instead of “No fast food! Do you want to be fat?" “Let’s take a walk, see how good the weather is. And we’ll have a snack on the way with bananas and yogurt.” Instead of “Go swimming, otherwise you won’t lose weight” - “Let's go to the pool? And then we will forget with you how to swim, and summer is coming soon.

And of course, good habits should become family - a mother with a piece of cake, talking about the dangers of sweets, does not look convincing.

Marina Belenkaya