What should I do if my child is overweight? The child is overweight: what to do? How to understand that a child is overweight.
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Kurbanova Shahnoza asks:
Zdrastvuyte moemu dochke 8let ana vesit 28kg rost 122metr ana viglidit me kajtsy polnim ya ochen boyus ana esli polnet kak mne bit
Answers:
The body mass index calculation indicates that your child is overweight. It is necessary to contact your pediatrician or pediatric endocrinologist for a complete examination and examination of the child. If you are overweight, you must also take a blood test for sugar, a lipid profile. recommended diet for children with overweight: frequent fractional meals in small portions, complete exclusion from the diet of flour, sweets. The basis of the diet should be protein (fat-free cottage cheese, low-fat boiled meats (veal, rabbit) and fish (hake, river fish), and vegetables with fruits. The exercise regimen should include at least 1 hour of exercise per day.
Tatyana asks:
Hello, my son is 7 years 7 months old, height 129, weight 44 KG, what should I do? after 18 hours does not eat, sweets are sometimes minimal. What to do?
Responsible Kovbasko Ekaterina Mikhailovna:
Hello, the weight is not taken from the air. Review all nutrition. It is necessary to exclude all easily digestible carbohydrates (rolls, sweets, grapes, raisins, honey, vermicelli, semolina and other cereals, etc.) + rational physical education. In addition, it is necessary to be examined by an endocrinologist (blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, growth hormones, etc.)
Marina asks:
The girl is 5 and a half years old, height 109, weight 16 kg, thin-boned, age-appropriate norms or you should be wary. Congenital elongated intestine, therefore poor appetite. Thank you.
Responsible Parshin Sergey Alexandrovich:
Hello. According to centile tables, growth corresponds to average physical development. And in terms of body weight, the indicators are at a low level. In general, physical development is average, but disharmonious due to low body weight. The food issue needs to be addressed. Drink a course of Kiddy-Farmaton vitamins. They increase appetite.
Olga asks:
Hello! My daughter will be 2 months old in a week and has trouble gaining weight (brotherhood baby). Weight at birth 3850, at discharge 3740. Per month - 4150, a week later - 4100. Fecal analysis is normal (according to the pediatrician "only fat is not digested by one plus"). We introduced supplementary feeding with a mixture of Nestogen 1, 30 ml at the end of each feeding, but it is impossible to supplement each feeding, because. the daughter eats up (she lets go of her breast and falls asleep, or lets go and does not take it anymore). A week later, at the control weighing - 4175. The child is calm, cheerful, pink. I can see from the clothes that it is growing. He asks to eat in 2.5-3 hours, and at night he can sleep for 6-7 hours, often I wake him up to feed him. Appetite is good, eats for 25-40 minutes. Tell me, please, what could be the reason for such a weak weight gain and whether hospitalization is really necessary. Thanks in advance.
Responsible Yakubchik Natalia Nikolaevna:
Olga, "insufficient" weight gain is not a reason for hospitalization! Supplementing with formula creates numerous new problems, but does not save. It is difficult for me to understand the situation without feedback, but I will give a few recommendations: 1. Call a lactation consultant, 2. Remove the supplement. 3. Do not take more than 2 hours of day breaks, and more than 5 hours of night breaks. 4, You can track the number of subscriptions per day, they should be 10 or more. 5. Eliminate stressful situations, including walks, guests, bathing, massage, control weighing. It's so offhand. But I highly recommend a personal consultation! Good luck and wisdom! --
Victoria asks:
Hello, I am also very worried about the weight of my son. Our dad is full. The child goes in for sports, is very mobile, and after three years they could not stop looking at him became a strong man. I can’t say that he is very full. Now height is 126-127 cm, weight is 32 kg, according to the tables I see that we exceed the weight norm. We go to doctors regularly, everything is fine, I am very worried that there is no obesity.
Responsible Medical consultant of the health-ua.org portal:
Good afternoon. The assessment of the weight and height of the child is carried out using centile tables. However, these tables show averages. When assessing weight, the constitutional features of the child should also be taken into account. To prevent obesity in a child, a balanced diet and sufficient physical activity are necessary. That is, pay attention to what the child eats and how much, set the diet, exclude snacks. Also keep an eye on the child's physical activity, sports, outdoor walks, active games. With an unexplained increase in body weight, consult an endocrinologist for advice. All the best.
Alena asks:
Hello! Doctor, please help me with advice. My son is 10 months old and it seems to me that he is thin with us. The last time we were weighed by a pediatrician at 7 months and he weighed 6.500. Doctors do not say anything bad, they say that everything is fine. They even asked for up to a year do not disturb them for no reason, they say everything is fine with you. he is very mobile, he crawls in general, he can’t sit still. he eats very badly, I breastfeed. what to do, tell me please.
Responsible Medical consultant of the health-ua.org portal:
As long as your child is healthy and active, and if there are no other symptoms, poor weight gain is unlikely to indicate a serious health problem for your child. In this case, a more complete examination is recommended, including general analysis blood, urinalysis, coprogram, and a thorough physical examination by a pediatrician. It should also be noted that the nutrition of a child at 10 months should include 3 complementary foods (vegetable puree, milk-cereal porridge, and sour-milk products), as well as mashed meat (50 grams per day), cottage cheese (30-50 grams per day ) and fruit juices (up to 100 ml).
Janet asks:
Hello! u menya devochka ey 4.3 rost 11O. A ves 21 kg ona ne mnogo kushaet a ves takoy ya perejivayu(vi nemogli bi skazat chto delat? spasibo vam! S uvajeniem Zanet
Responsible Medical consultant of the health-ua.org portal:
Good afternoon. The assessment of the weight and height of the child is carried out using centile tables. According to these charts, your child's weight and height are above average. However, the tables indicate averaged data without taking into account individual characteristics. For a reliable assessment physical development child, it is necessary to take into account constitutional data, that is, heredity, features of the development of the child. But weight gain can be a symptom of the disease. For a more detailed assessment of the child's weight, it is necessary to contact a pediatric endocrinologist, and if necessary, make a comprehensive examination of the child. All the best.
Elmira asks:
My child with a height of 129 cm weighs 34 kg, what should I do
Responsible Medical consultant of the health-ua.org portal:
Good afternoon. The average weight of a child is determined using centile tables. According to their data, your child's weight is above average. However, it is impossible to draw conclusions without examining and clarifying some data. The fact is that weight depends on many factors, including constitutional features, heredity, features of the development of the child, concomitant diseases. If a child has visible weight problems, then the first thing to do is to pay attention to nutrition and physical activity child. And also to address to the children's endocrinologist for internal consultation. All the best.
Elena asks:
Hello! My daughter is 12 years old, weight - 62kg. Help, what should I do to lose weight? (everyone in our family is complete)
Responsible Medical consultant of the health-ua.org portal:
For starters, regardless of family history. You still need to contact a pediatric endocrinologist to rule out other causes of overweight. It is also necessary to take a blood test for sugar, a lipid profile. recommended diet for children with overweight: frequent fractional meals in small portions, complete exclusion from the diet of flour, sweets. The basis of the diet should be protein (fat-free cottage cheese, low-fat boiled meats (veal, rabbit) and fish (hake, river fish), and vegetables with fruits. The exercise regimen should include at least 1 hour of exercise per day
Elena asks:
Good day. My daughter has been gaining weight since summer. Now we are in the first class, and it seems to me that she is the largest. Our growth is somewhere, I think 130. Weight 36 kg. I'm shocked. She began to limit everything. She doesn't eat much bread herself. What should I do? And too much weight? Thanks
Responsible Renchkovskaya Natalya Vasilievna:
Hello, Elena. Consult a pediatric endocrinologist. Undergo an examination, exclude endocrine pathology,. It is not reasonable to limit the child about everything, reduce calories, prescribe frequent fractional meals, mono-diets, and even more so prescribe diet pills. A growing organism must receive all the necessary proteins, vitamins, fats, trace elements. The doctor should prescribe a balanced diet. The more you limit, the more the body stores for a rainy day. You need the right diet, water regime and exercise regimen. With uv. Natalya Vasilievna.
Tamara asks:
Hello! My grandson is 10 years old. Actively engaged in judo, goes to the pool. His current weight is 44 kg. We think it's too much, What do you say? Thank you.
Responsible Medical consultant of the health-ua.org portal:
Hello Tamara! In order to determine normal weight for your grandson, you must at least know his height. It is possible that a slightly larger than normal weight is associated with the characteristics of the growth and development of the child. However, since excess weight may be the result of certain diseases (for example, endocrine disorders), it is necessary to consult a pediatrician on this issue in person. In the absence of deviations, normalization of weight can be achieved by diet, taking multivitamins, microelements in order to normalize metabolism. Take care of your health!
Anna asks:
Hello.
Let me briefly outline the problem: In 2010, within a month, my daughter (she was then 7 years old) began to gain weight dramatically, today her weight is almost 80 kg. (now she is 10 years old). For 3 years she gained 50 kg. She was in the hospital and underwent an examination to identify the cause, a month later she was discharged, without finding the reason why she was gaining weight, while revealing the following disorders in the body:
- MRI of the brain and cerebral vessels - conclusion -MR picture of single foci of changes in the substance of the brain of a dystrophic nature. Asymmetry of blood flow in the intracranial parts of the vertebral arteries;
- Transcranial color duplex scanning of the arteries of the main brain - conclusion - Bending of the intracranial segment of the LAA. Increased tone in PSMA, PPML;
- Duplex scanning of the extracranial parts of the brachiocephalic arteries - conclusion - S-shaped bend of the PVCA before entering the skull. Increased tone in all pools;
- ultrasound of the thyroid gland does not exclude hypoplasia.
For 3 months now, the child has practically not eaten anything, after 18.00 she completely refused to eat, does exercises, but still gains weight.
Please tell me how serious her conclusion is and where should I apply?
Thanks in advance.
2) Let's look in the fridge
Overweight children are prescribed a diet with a gradual decrease in the calorie content of foods. By reducing vegetable and animal fats. In the diet of a child during the day, eggs, seafood, cottage cheese, fish or meat must be present. Fish, poultry and meat should be cooked in baked or boiled form, and be lean. Carbohydrate-fat foods and carbohydrates: puff and muffins, fried potatoes, chips, glazed curds, soda, cakes and sugar should be severely limited, but it is better to exclude them for a while. Bread, durum pasta, cereals should be reduced to a minimum. Bread should be eaten bran without nuts and seeds or grain.
Fat intake should be reduced, or low-fat dairy products should be chosen: hard cheeses, 10 or 15% sour cream, yogurt, 0 or 1.5% cottage cheese, 1% milk. A lot of fat is found in cutlets, sausages, sausages, sausages, canned food, these products should be excluded from their children's diet.
Action plan:
- You need to keep a “Food Diary”, where you need to write down everything that is eaten by the child and all members of your family per day. This list should also include a glass of milk at night, tea with sweets, and light snacks.
- Visit a pediatric nutritionist, he will monitor the health of the child and his weight.
- Teach the child and all households to eat in small portions 4 times a day, at a strictly defined time.
- Breakfast and lunch should be plentiful than dinner. A hearty breakfast is important for a child, then he will not ask for sweets, he will be cheerful and calm. Fruit should be served for dessert.
- Don't force your child to eat if he doesn't feel like it. Don't punish him for not eating his soup.
- Remove the TV from the kitchen or dining room, and don't let your family eat while watching a movie or read a book while eating. In such a situation, the child is distracted from eating and does not notice that he is overeating.
- When you buy food, read the labels. If the child is hungry, do not take him to the store with you.
At school, the educational program provides for 2 physical education lessons per week. But this is not enough, the child must run for 1 hour a day. But even from these lessons, children simply shirk, bring a certificate of release, and rush to evade. Why wind circles around the school, jump over the goat, they say. Now in Russia there is a federal program that should change the content of physical education lessons. Each school is going to create several sections and sports clubs so that each student can choose an activity to his liking. Instead of boring runs, they decided to teach aerobics to girls, and martial arts to boys. But so far, in most schools in Russia, physical education classes are conducted in the old fashioned way.
Action plan:
- Set aside 1 hour in your schedule for a walk together. Walk from home to school, and teach your child to do this. If the child wants to jump and run, do not constantly pull him, and demand from the child that he "behave decently", meaning by this that he walks measuredly down the street.
- Find out what sports clubs are in your area and enroll your child there. For a child, swimming is considered the most useful for weight loss. The whole family can go to the pool.
- At home, you can install a children's ladder with a horizontal bar so that the child has the opportunity to pull himself up and climb in the morning. If there is a small free corner, do not regret and buy him an exercise bike, so even in bad weather the child can arrange small bike rides.
- Spend your vacation with your children - kayaking, arranging bike rides, horse riding and hiking, in health resorts.
Experts urge to limit TV viewing to 2 hours a day, and this is the maximum. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend watching TV at all. Children who are used to watching blue screen for hours are often overweight. And the child needs to move. You can't force a 4 year old to lie on the couch for an hour. But the child sits in front of the TV all day, thereby causing great damage to his health.
Action plan:
First you need to remove the computer and TV from the children's room. Put all the necessary equipment in your room, so it will be easier for you to control your child. Then set a time limit and the son or daughter should not go beyond this limit. If you're worried your child will watch bad movies, program your TV to only show certain channels.
To reduce the weight of the child without compromising health, you need to find out the cause of obesity. At the moment there are 2 types of obesity: primary and secondary. The cause of primary obesity is overeating and low mobility. Easily digestible carbohydrates are present in large quantities in the diet of children - sweets, potatoes, sugar, bread and other confectionery products, animal fats - fatty meat, butter creams, fatty soups, oils. Often, children rarely follow the diet and usually do not eat much in the morning, but overeat in the evening. But the energy that they receive from food must correspond to the amount that the body expends.
Obesity can be inherited. When both parents are obese, then the child has an 80% chance of developing the disease, if one parent is obese, then the probability is 40%. Damage to the nervous system can cause secondary obesity, and this type of obesity is 5%, and this is a rare case.
Most obesity occurs in babies under 1 year old. If a baby is overfed for up to 3 months, and every month the weight increases by more than 3 kilograms, then these children will suffer from obesity in the future. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the diet for children who are overweight.
Diet for overweight children
Various sports, running, therapeutic exercises are useful when combined with food that contains few calories. In the treatment of obesity, patience is needed, because the results that we are going to achieve can be achieved in a few years.
A growing organism needs useful and necessary elements in the diet: carbohydrates, mineral salts, vitamins, proteins, fats. As a weight loss, fasting should not be practiced for children.
The main task for the safe weight loss of a child is to remove fats from the body and prevent their further appearance. This can be achieved by reducing the number of calories in your daily diet. In this case, it is better to stop eating carbohydrates, which the body easily absorbs. These are sweet buns, sweets, cakes, sugar, chocolate. The consumption of fats should be excluded: fatty soups, vegetable fats, fatty meat, ham. Flour foods increase weight, so you need to give up bread, sweets, noodles, pasta. Potato consumption should be significantly reduced. The child needs to be fed in small portions 5 times a day. In between meals, do not allow children to eat fruits and sweets. If the baby asks to eat, then it is better to give him something from vegetables: cucumber, radish, carrots, fresh cabbage.
Try to eat slowly
Dinner should be no later than 2 hours before the child goes to bed. To a diet and to low-calorie foods you need to move gradually. But often overweight children are fed high-calorie foods. Experts advise making the diet varied, and it should correspond to the age of the baby, and after 2 weeks you can switch to a strict diet.
Give preference to dairy products
These can be low-calorie foods: low-fat cottage cheese, kefir, acidophilus, yogurt. Lean beef is suitable for meat dishes, and butter should be used instead of fats. Every day the child should receive - milk, vegetables, fruits, meat, cottage cheese. And fish, cheese, eggs should be given no more than 3 or 4 times a week. It is recommended to use unsweetened fruits and berries, and vegetables - cucumbers, pumpkins, radishes, cabbage and tomatoes.
Now we know how to reduce an overweight child. By following these tips, you can reduce your child's weight by eating low-calorie foods, eating small meals often, and exercising.
For many mothers of infants on planned visits to the pediatrician, the moment of weighing is especially exciting. Because many of us know what follows: the doctor will take out a battered book with growth tables, run his finger over it and look reproachfully at the mother of a chubby and happy baby. Or, with a sigh, he shakes his head at the thin and vigorous runner. And say something about breastfeeding...
There are, of course, other doctors, but these are the majority. The reason is really simple: babies gain weight differently than artificial babies, who are fed stable formulas in well-measured amounts. And most pediatricians rely on increase tables specifically for artificial children, compiled on the basis of data from manufacturers of artificial nutrition. The limits of the norm for infants are much wider, their gains are influenced by many different factors, the most important of which is genetic: receiving natural nutrition, the baby grows and develops exactly as laid down by nature, and not by technologists in the laboratories of infant formula manufacturers.
At the same time, not so long ago - in 2004 - WHO released special tables of weight gain for breastfeeding. These data were taken into account in a large-scale study in all parts of the world on almost 6 thousand babies. It turned out that in children who are fed with their mother's milk, the developmental features are the same regardless of race and country of residence! The resulting tables were recommended as general developmental standards for breastfed children. The only problem is that many Russian pediatricians still do not know about this, and without any hesitation they offer to “breastfeed less often” or “supplement with formula” for a baby who deviates from the standards of artificial children ...
In general, most mothers themselves intuitively understand when everything is in order with their baby, but the pressure of a doctor or older relatives is often embarrassing. Therefore, we will talk about the main features of the growth and development of the baby.
Newborn: a time of rapid growth
In the first month, almost all babies, subject to general health, gain weight most actively. A newborn baby adapts to a new environment for him, his nervous system is rapidly developing, strengthening and growing skeletal system, and the characteristic "baby fat" grows, making the baby's body both soft and elastic. Such a specific fat, which grows precisely on mother's milk with its unique artificial components, provides, among other things, an important phenomenon: the so-called myelination of nerve endings. The nerve fiber, covered with myelin consisting of specific fats and proteins, conducts signals much faster and more accurately, which ultimately ensures the good development of the baby. And these are precisely the “healthy” fats that play the role of an energy depot for the baby, which is quite easily consumed when the time comes. Therefore, an increase of 1500-2000 g for a baby in the first months of life is not only not bad, but even good: such children, actively gaining weight in infancy, go through milestones of motor development much faster!
At the same time, situations are possible in which a child, even in the first month of life, will not add particularly well. Most often this is a genetic feature - it is clear that if mom and dad are not particularly large, then the baby will usually not hit large sizes. But sometimes low gains can indicate the wrong organization of breastfeeding, and in some cases - the baby's illness, and these circumstances should not be ignored.
What should the mother of a newborn baby pay attention to? First of all, most children lose weight on the second or third day after birth. The reason is that the baby gets rid of meconium (the original stool that was produced in the mother's womb), and also loses moisture reserves, the natural function of which was to help pass through the birth canal without damage. That is, this phenomenon is completely natural, and as long as weight loss falls within the boundaries of 5-8% of birth weight, it is called physiological. This does not require any special correction, you just need to try to put the baby to the breast more often - even if it seems to the mother that she has literally a few drops in her chest, large amounts of nutrition to the baby, who is only adapting to a complete change in the environment and a completely different way of getting nutrition, in the first day of life is simply not required. Colostrum is indeed produced in small volumes, but at the same time it is a very energy-rich food, and when the baby is ready to receive large amounts of nutrition, then milk will come.
It is important, of course, to make sure that the baby takes the breast correctly, this does not always work out well right away - for example, soreness and cracks in the nipples indicate improper attachment, and in this case, not only the mother herself hurts when feeding, but the baby also gets significantly less nutrition than it could. If weight loss in the first days of life turns out to be more than 8%, or the child continues to lose weight 4-5 days after birth, it is often impossible to do without supplementary feeding under the supervision of doctors, thus serious health problems for the crumbs can manifest themselves.
The next "checkpoint" is two weeks of a child's life: by this time, he must restore birth weight. After all, the loss of 5-8% of the weight, although it seems small, but in practice this means that if the baby was born with a weight of 3500 g, then in the first days he can “calmly” lose up to 280 g. And this loss should be compensated precisely due to feeding on mother's milk, if this did not happen, it is worth starting to worry and think about what could have gone wrong.
However, most mothers weigh their babies for the first time at the age of about a month, at the first scheduled visit to the clinic. At this stage, it should turn out that the monthly increase was at least 500 g of the minimum weight of the child. Please note, not birth weight, but the minimum weight, after the postpartum weight loss has passed! Indeed, as already mentioned, the difference between the weight after childbirth and the minimum weight of the child can be very noticeable, and the child must also catch up with this difference.
Of course, most healthy babies gain relatively a lot of weight in the first month, a kilogram or more. Although if the child has added 600-800 g, this is also no problem. But if the baby's gains are at the lower limit of the norm - 500-550 g - supplementary feeding with a mixture is not required here, but there is reason to think about contacting a breastfeeding consultant who can suggest ways to improve the baby's gains. It happens that mothers think: if only the child was breastfed, and there was milk in the breast, and everything will be fine. But sometimes it turns out that because of the same improper attachment, the child cannot suck out a sufficient amount of milk, and sleeps a lot, not because he is full, simply because of a lack of strength ...
If the monthly increase in the first time of life is less than 500 g, the baby will have to introduce supplementary feeding. If low gains are combined with lethargy, drowsiness, frequent regurgitation, especially vomiting, an urgent consultation with a pediatrician regarding the health of the child is required! And with an increase in the first month of less than 200 g of the minimum weight, the baby is offered hospitalization. This can really be dangerous, because with a nutritional deficiency, the normal development organs and functions of the body, which can literally matter for years to come! So with too small increments, you don’t have to wait for everything to work out “somehow by itself” - in practice, most often, alas, this does not happen.
The minimum rate of increase of 500 g per month applies to the first four months of a child's life. Then the gains of infants usually begin to decline - and it is precisely this difference between active weight gain in the first months of life and their serious decrease later that causes concern. After all, the norms familiar to pediatricians for artificial children suggest an increase of 600-800 g per month in the first half of life and 500-700 g per month in the second. As a result, by the age of one year, the average artificial is smaller and weighs more than the average baby, and also later masters motor skills. But pediatricians, looking at tables for artificialists, require either more rare feeding for actively adding babies in the first months of life, or, on the contrary, supplementary feeding with a mixture for babies after four months, whose gains are declining ...
Why is there a decline in gains? The developmental features of infants are such that, having accumulated the primary “fat reserve”, most children begin to actively learn new skills at 4-6 months. They usually move a lot, try to sit up, some even try to crawl, and then their gains are usually 500-600 g / month. At the age of about three months im so interested the world that during the day they are almost always applied to the mother's breast for a very short time, literally for a few minutes, which sometimes embarrasses mothers who are accustomed to longer feedings. Don't be scared, it's quite normal, your baby is just turning into an explorer!
The older, the more active ...
In the second half of the year, infant gains become even smaller: at 6-9 months - 300-500 g, and after nine months, when many begin to walk, it is quite common to add 100-300 g / month.
What to do if your baby has gained even less than infant norms suggest? Before you get scared, repeat the weighing, preferably on a different scale! And optimally at first immediately, and then after a few days. Thousands of mothers have spent a lot of nerves simply because of faulty or misadjusted scales.
If, however, the assumption of too low increases is confirmed - think about whether there have been factors recently that could cause a decrease in the rate of increases. Such factors include, for example, stress (and mother, and especially the child); illness (again, both mother and baby); changes in the mother's hormonal status (for example, some hormonal contraceptives can reduce milk production); increasing the intervals between feedings; sometimes vaccinations, baby swimming, active dynamic gymnastics or massage lead to a slowdown and even a stop to gains.
It happens the other way around: the baby grows, but the rate of increase does not decrease. As a rule, this situation begins to disturb mothers in the second half of the life of children. If it’s difficult to carry a baby at six months in your arms, because he weighs like others in a year, first of all we ask relatives: most often it turns out that this is again due to heredity, and relatives will remember father or mother herself with the same boots. But if this is not the case, and there seem to be no external prerequisites for forced weight gain, be sure to visit a pediatric endocrinologist. Large increases without a decrease in rates from month to month may indicate hormonal disorders or other diseases that are more amenable to correction the sooner they are detected.
In general, if the baby of the first year of life on breastfeeding gains not only weight, but also stretches well in growth; if he is active and interested in others; he has bright eyes and light (not colored) urine; his nails grow well; if he is happy to play with his closest relatives - usually a combination of all these signs says that the baby is doing well and you should not worry about the increase!
Green Parenting: Children: No child is born overweight. There is no obesity in the wild. It's a disease of civilization...
Why there are more and more overweight children and what to do about it
Unhealthy eating habits, the habit of “plugging your mouth” with delicious, feeding to satiety and forcing you to eat everything “that you put in”, a sedentary lifestyle (thanks computer games) - here are the main reasons why there are more and more overweight children.
Of course, there are also endocrine disruptions, diseases in which the child gets better, even if the intake of calories is equal to their consumption. Then the fullness of children all the more deserves parental attention. But endocrine obesity accounts for only five percent of cases.
Obesity (paratrophy) is diagnosed even in infants. But, according to Dr. Komarovsky, this is not at all a reason for panic, especially if the child is breastfed.
As a mother of a 16-year-old underweight son, who was diagnosed with just such a diagnosis at six months, I can say - there may not be a trace of infantile fullness, as soon as the child begins to actively move. Moreover, while the child is small, it is not difficult to control his nutrition - usually up to three years, children have a separate table.
Difficulties begin later, when the child becomes a full-fledged participant in family meals. Especially if those are a nutritionist's nightmare.
The most common parenting mistakes
1. Don't change anything and wait for it to go away on its own
Normal mothers and fathers, having learned that their children have allergies or diabetes, do not hesitate to exclude “dangerous” foods from the diet. However, when it comes to fullness, they often do nothing.
Loving parents often turn a blind eye to the problem in the hope that it will resolve itself. Indeed, miracles happen, but their expectation may be delayed, and the harm to health may become irreversible.
On the website of the World Health Organization we read: “Obesity in children is associated with an increased likelihood of premature death and disability in adulthood. Overweight and obese children are more likely to become obese in adulthood and are more likely to have young age non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease will emerge.” Creepy, isn't it?
2. Put your child on a strict diet
Diet is not a panacea at all. In his notes of the endocrinologist, Dr. Grebnev claims that proteins, fats and carbohydrates must enter the child's body in certain proportions. Therefore, mono-diets, the benefits of which are also very doubtful for adults, are canceled in this case.
In addition, without self-motivation, the child will feel left out. And the forbidden fruit is known to be sweet. Having escaped from parental control, he is likely to want to make up for all the lost. Even worse, if he develops a habit of stress eating. Then try to convince him of the fallacy of the formula "food equals pleasure."
3. Shift responsibility to the sports section
Physical activity is one of the essential elements of a set of measures to combat excess weight. One of, but not the only one.
Without a review of the relationship to food, at best, it will be possible to stop weight gain or achieve a slight decrease in it. Of course, unless the child runs ten kilometers daily.
But, as a rule, the child goes to the section two or three times a week, and in order to lose weight, it is necessary that the “arrival” is less than the “expenditure” daily.
What to do
First, it's worth stop justifying excess weight (both yours and your child) by heredity and metabolism. Yes, everyone has a different metabolism, but, as a rule, thin people do not overeat with rolls and do not drink mayonnaise at night. Upon closer examination, it turns out thatthose who are naturally dry tend to be picky and moderate in eating. Such people may not limit themselves, but intuitively eat right.
The opposite is also true: often those who believe that they eat like a bird simply do not see the sin in a chocolate bar or a bag of seeds. But one day is enough to count the calories consumed, as soon as everything becomes clear.
The good news is that anyone can lose weight. Bad (relatively) - you have to completely change your lifestyle. To the whole family.
A change in diet cannot be about just one child. Even if you personally do not have problems with being overweight, giving up sweets and starchy foods, fatty, spicy and fried foods will only benefit you. It is important to understand - this is not a sacrifice, but an elementary concern for health.
- limit energy intake from all types of fats, switch from saturated fats to unsaturated fats and eliminate trans fatty acids;
- increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts;
- limit your intake of free sugars;
- limit salt (sodium) intake from all sources and ensure salt iodization.
And here is my opinion: if there are no cookies and sweets in the house, and instead of fried potatoes, mother prepares grilled vegetables for a side dish, the child’s body will have no choice but to start burning its own reserves. Provided that the amount of energy "output" exceeds the amount of energy "input".
1. "No" to diets, prohibitions and severe restrictions
"Yes" to healthy nutrition and revision of the diet. No need to justify yourself by the fact that there are a lot of temptations around. Believe me, a person who never buys chips and hamburgers lives very well without them.
I do not impose sanctions for "junk food", so from time to time children feast on it. But in general, their diet is healthy and balanced.
2. Power mode
The fast pace of life, working late - the realities of many moms and dads. Therefore, today a rare family eats according to a schedule. In the end, everyone eats what they want, when they want. Endless snacks replace a full meal, and the tradition of gathering at a common table is an anachronism.
But at least once a day or week (if due to work, dinner risks being late) have a real family meal.
As for snacks, then let them be - if there is no junk food at home, no one will get better from carrots.
3. Union with grandmother
In some families, this is the most difficult task. "Butter" grannies show love to their grandchildren through pies and pancakes. In this case, parents will have to be tough. Compromises are inappropriate here. Being overweight is no joke. When it comes to the health of children, you need to act decisively.
4. More movement
Sport is not a panacea, but you won’t lose weight without movement. It is not possible to make friends with the sections, start a tradition of cycling (in summer) and skating (in winter). Running, fitness, even just hiking - everything will fit into the business.
And yes - personal example is contagious.
No need for sudden movements, no need to choose the most active sport. A hated activity for a baby is extra stress and a path to his “jamming”.
Start with short walks, don’t take your child to school, teach him to save on public transport, introduce him to roller skates, a skateboard, or at least a scooter. published . If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to specialists and readers of our project .
In order to understand how relevant the problem of childhood obesity is today, it is enough just to go out into the street, walk through playgrounds or parks. Surely you have noticed that almost half of the children have one or another degree of completeness.
Note the increase in overweight children and pediatricians. But parents, unfortunately, do not always pay attention to this aspect of the development of their child. What is the reason for such negligence?
There are several reasons, as always. These are chubby babies in advertising and films, and the eternal certainty that if a child eats well, then he is healthy. Do not forget about such a phenomenon as natural children's fullness. This condition is typical for children aged about 9 months. At this time, the fatty layer begins to actively form.
However, this does not mean that you can ignore the overweight of your child during this period. In addition, you should not mentally stretch the period of natural childhood fullness. If after the child begins to actively walk, the extra weight does not disappear, then it's time to sound the alarm.
To begin with, it is worth understanding what are the causes of excess weight in children. As always, it is impossible to single out one thing. Every child has their own problems and their own solutions.
Usually, in children, as in adults, obesity develops due to chronic overeating . The law of conservation of energy also applies here: if you eat more than is consumed per day, you will inevitably encounter excess weight.
In second place, of course, low mobility . Typically, both of these factors are present. Today, fatty foods, fast food, and various sweets have gained immense popularity. All this can be purchased literally at every step. Even the parents themselves sometimes, saving time, feed the child junk food. At the same time, modern children are more and more resting in front of a TV or computer. Naturally, an imbalance occurs in the body, which instantly affects the weight of the child.
Here it can also be noted social factor . Children copy their parents in everything, and if adults eat high-calorie foods, children are likely to prefer the same foods. Often a child is devoutly fed, believing that he should eat exactly as much and not a crumb less. Usually grandmothers are prone to such behavior, especially if their childhood was not the post-war years.
Such a feeding system violates one of the most important precepts of a healthy diet - to eat exactly as much as you need to be satiated. It is better to leave part of the serving on the plate and eat it later than to choke and eat everything, just to leave nothing.
However, one cannot discount the hereditary factors . If one of the parents of the child is obese, then in half the cases the child himself is faced with this problem. If obesity is observed in both parents, the risk increases even more. In the case of hereditary obesity, more attention should be paid to prevention, rather than waiting for the problem to occur.
Strange as it may sound to many, but psychological aspects can affect the child's overweight. Children, like their parents, can “eat” some of their sorrows, worries and stresses.
In some cases, although quite rarely, the cause of obesity is various diseases . Despite the fact that this is far from the most common cause of extra pounds, you should not forget about it.
What is the danger of obesity in children?
It is important to understand that being overweight in children is much more dangerous than the same problem in an adult. After all, the child's body grows, changes, forms. Many systems in it are not yet fully functional, but are only learning to perform their tasks.
The first to suffer, as it is not difficult to understand, spine. It is on him that the overtime load suddenly falls. But in preschool age the rapid formation of the skeleton is still going on, the bones are actively growing, and the child is also growing. It is at this stage that posture is formed, and excess weight, coupled with low mobility, can disrupt it even at this stage, which is fraught with various diseases of the spine.
Increasing load on circulatory system, in this regard, in children who are overweight from infancy, by adolescence there are such traditionally age-related diseases like hypertension, heart failure, ischemia, increases the risk of heart attack.
The pancreas also cannot cope with excess nutrients, which causes a violation of glucose metabolism, and this can lead to the development of diabetes.
should not be overlooked and psychological problems. Overweight children are often teased by their peers, which is why they develop complexes, they become insecure. And these complexes accompany such children for the rest of their lives, even if the child's overweight problems can be solved.
Is there any reason for concern?
However, after reading all this, you should not immediately put the child on a diet. Firstly, "adult" diets in the case of a child, especially an infant, are not only ineffective, but also dangerous to health. Secondly, the development of a child is a very individual concept, and before taking any measures, you need to make sure that the problem really exists.
If you think that your child is overweight, you should first try to determine whether this is so on your own. In particular, special tables of weight norms depending on age and height can help with this. Please note that you need to evaluate the situation on all three parameters.
So, if the child weighs too much for his age, do not forget to pay attention to his height. If the growth is also above the norm, then everything is in order. You just encountered a particular version of the norm.
| Age | Boy | Girl | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight, kg | height, cm | Weight, kg | height, cm | |
| Birth | 3,6 | 50 | 3,4 | 49,5 |
| 1 month | 4,45 | 54,5 | 4,15 | 53,5 |
| 2 months | 5,25 | 58 | 4,9 | 56,8 |
| 3 months | 6,05 | 61 | 5,5 | 59,3 |
| 4 months | 6,7 | 63 | 6,15 | 61,5 |
| 5 months | 7,3 | 65 | 6,65 | 63,4 |
| 6 months | 7,9 | 67 | 7,2 | 66,9 |
| Seven months | 8,4 | 68,7 | 7,7 | 68,4 |
| 8 months | 8,85 | 70,3 | 8,1 | 68,4 |
| 9 months | 9,25 | 71,7 | 8,5 | 70 |
| 10 months | 9,65 | 73 | 8,85 | 71,3 |
| 11 months | 10 | 74,3 | 9,2 | 72,6 |
| 1 year | 10,3 | 75,5 | 9,5 | 73,8 |
| 1 year 1 month | 10,6 | 76,8 | 9,8 | 75 |
| 1 year 2 months | 10,85 | 78 | 9,8 | 75 |
| 1 year 3 months | 11,1 | 79 | 10,3 | 77,2 |
| 1 year 4 months | 11,3 | 80 | 10,57 | 78,3 |
| 1 year 5 months | 11,5 | 81 | 10,78 | 79,3 |
| 1 year 6 months | 11,7 | 82 | 11 | 80,3 |
| 1 year 7 months | 11,9 | 83 | 11,2 | 81,3 |
| 1 year 8 months | 12,07 | 83,9 | 11,38 | 82,2 |
| 1 year 9 months | 12,23 | 84,7 | 11,57 | 83,1 |
| 1 year 10 months | 12,37 | 85,6 | 11,73 | 84 |
| 1 year 11 months | 12,53 | 86,4 | 11,88 | 84,9 |
| 2 years | 12,67 | 87,3 | 12,05 | 85,8 |
| 2 years 1 month | 12,83 | 88,1 | 12,22 | 86,7 |
| 2 years 2 months | 12,95 | 88,9 | 12,38 | 87,5 |
| 2 years 3 months | 13,08 | 89,7 | 12,52 | 88,4 |
| 2 years 4 months | 13,22 | 90,3 | 12,68 | 89,2 |
| 2 years 5 months | 13,35 | 91,1 | 12,82 | 90 |
| 2 years 6 months | 13,48 | 91,8 | 12,98 | 90,7 |
| 2 years 7 months | 13,62 | 92,6 | 13,11 | 91,4 |
| 2 years 8 months | 13,77 | 93,2 | 13,26 | 92,1 |
| 2 years 9 months | 13,9 | 93,8 | 13,4 | 92,9 |
| 2 years 10 months | 14,03 | 94,4 | 13,57 | 93,6 |
| 2 years 11 months | 14,18 | 95 | 13,71 | 94,2 |
| 3 years | 14,3 | 95,7 | 13,85 | 94,8 |
The parameters in infants vary especially greatly. First of all, because they have a different start and a large, in comparison with the total weight, the initial difference in height and weight. Some children weigh less than 3 kg, others more than 4. During this period, not the weight itself is much more important, but the weight gain per month. This information can also be seen in the table:
| Age, month | Weight gain, grams | Height increase, centimeter | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| per month | for the past period | per month | for the past period | |
| 1 | 600 | 600 | 3 | 3 |
| 2 | 800 | 1400 | 3 | 6 |
| 3 | 800 | 2200 | 2,5 | 8,5 |
| 4 | 750 | 2950 | 2,5 | 11 |
| 5 | 700 | 3650 | 2 | 13 |
| 6 | 650 | 4300 | 2 | 15 |
| 7 | 600 | 4900 | 2 | 17 |
| 8 | 550 | 5450 | 2 | 19 |
| 9 | 500 | 5950 | 1,5 | 20,5 |
| 10 | 450 | 6400 | 1,5 | 22 |
| 11 | 400 | 6800 | 1,5 | 23,5 |
| 12 | 350 | 7150 | 1,5 | 25 |
It is important to keep in mind that children artificial feeding almost always gain weight faster than their peers who feed on mother's milk. Assessing the weight of your child, this point must also be taken into account.
Another way to determine if a child is overweight is to calculate the body mass index. Please note that this calculation makes sense only after the age of two. This is done quite simply: BMI is equal to body weight in kg divided by the height of the child in cm squared. The resulting value should be compared with the table. It shows the values for overweight and for obesity.
| Age | Overweight | Obesity | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| boys | girls | boys | girls | |
| 2 | 18,4 | 18 | 20,1 | 19,4 |
| 3 | 17,9 | 17,6 | 19,6 | 19,1 |
| 4 | 17,6 | 17,3 | 19,3 | 19,2 |
| 5 | 17,4 | 17,1 | 19,3 | 19,7 |
| 6 | 17,6 | 17,3 | 19,8 | 20,5 |
| 7 | 17,9 | 17,8 | 20,6 | 21,6 |
| 8 | 18,4 | 18,3 | 21,6 | 22,8 |
| 9 | 19,1 | 19,1 | 22,8 | 24,1 |
| 10 | 19,8 | 19,9 | 24 | 25,4 |
If the resulting number is less than the BMI with overweight, then everything is in order in your case, if it is equal or more, then the problem is there. If the BMI value has reached the obesity mark, then the problem in the child is very serious.
Regardless of which method you used, if there is a suspicion that your child is overweight, you do not need to immediately rush to solve the problem, limit the child in food and drive to classes. First you need to contact the pediatrician. He will confirm or refute your fears, and also determine the cause of overweight.
Only then will it be possible to find an adequate solution to the problem. So, if the cause of excess weight in children is a particular disease, food restrictions and any physical activity may be ineffective, and in some cases even dangerous. In this case, you must first identify and cure the disease - the cause.
If everything is more prosaic, and the reason lies in overeating, then you can start the fight against excess weight.
How to deal with overweight in infants?
Overweight at baby on the breastfeeding is an extremely rare occurrence. When the baby feeds on mother's milk, he, together with the parent's body, regulates the amount of milk he drinks. This makes overeating almost impossible.
But with artificial feeding, everything is somewhat more complicated. Determining when a child is full at this age is still difficult. It is necessary to draw up a clear feeding schedule, strictly follow the recommendations for the amount of mixture and the volume of water.
Sometimes you can hear the opinion that it is better for artificers to introduce complementary foods as early as possible. In fact, it's not necessary at all. But if you decide to introduce complementary foods to a formula-fed child, then keep in mind that you need to start with vegetable purees. They are the least caloric, and will not contribute to weight gain.
Often vegetable purees are made on the basis of potatoes. Pay attention to this, potatoes should be no more than 50% of the serving. Ideally, make your own puree at home, so you can definitely be sure of the purity of the products and their ratio.
The next item in complementary foods will be cereals with skim milk. Give preference to buckwheat or oatmeal, but it is better to refuse semolina. In addition, porridge can be given only once a day, preferably in the morning. If there is a need to sweeten porridge, it is better to do this with berries and fruits, without adding sugar.
How to deal with excess weight in a preschooler?
With older children, the situation is somewhat more complicated. When a child moves to a common table with his parents, it becomes more difficult to control his diet. The child sees what his parents eat and tries to eat the same.
Another aspect that often interferes with the process of losing weight is food in the kindergarten. There, parents cannot control the child's menu. First of all, you need to talk to the staff and find out what they feed the children in general. Then ask the teachers to cut portions, if necessary, do not give supplements, remove especially high-calorie foods, of course, if possible.
However, the main difficulties still await you at home. The fact is that the whole family will have to rebuild their diet, get used to healthy eating. It is impossible to explain to a child why everyone will eat dumplings with sour cream or a sweet cake, and he will eat steamed vegetables. He will perceive this as a punishment, as a manifestation of some kind of injustice.
Therefore, everyone will have to come to terms with changes in the menu. However, this is not at all bad, because such a diet is healthy and suitable for people of any age. The nutrition of your family should be balanced, proteins, fats and carbohydrates should be present in the right proportions. As a rule, this ratio is called: 1:1:4, where the last digit refers to carbohydrates - the main source of energy and fiber. The main thing to remember is that these should be complex carbohydrates, not sweets and starchy foods.
Abundance on your menu vegetables and cereals it is also necessary because fiber helps to restore impaired metabolism, and also, like a real brush, cleans the intestines and helps to remove toxins accumulated in it. All this normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, relieves various digestive problems, including constipation, which are not at all rare in overweight children.
However, meat fish, dairy products and fats should also be present. The child's body needs proteins without fail, as it is constantly growing, and it needs building material for cells.
However, it is better to give preference to dietary meat, not fatty. It can be poultry, veal, lean beef. As for cooking methods, it is better to abandon frying and smoking completely, and stop at boiled meat and steamed meat.
By the way, the same applies to vegetable dishes. There is also no need to saturate them with oil during frying, this significantly increases the calorie content of dishes, and apparently, no visible harmful substances in heated oil.
Concerning dairy products, then you should give preference to skim milk, kefir and sour cream. Also, do not get carried away with various yoghurts with additives. It is better to use natural products, without preservatives. Kefir and yogurt can be made at home based on a special starter culture. Buying it today is not a problem. You should not refuse cheese, but it must be served in limited quantities.
Fats should be predominantly vegetable, and the child will receive a sufficient amount of animals from milk. Sunflower or olive oil you can season vegetable salads.
Another little tip: buy for a child separate dishes, smaller than yours. In a small plate, even a truncated portion will seem quite sufficient, and a small spoon will have to scoop food from the plate more often. A large number of movements will help to deceive the body, and the feeling of fullness will come earlier.
For this, it is necessary to organize a calm atmosphere for the child during meals. It is better to turn off the TV, radio, you should not occupy the baby with conversations. Yes, and at this time it is better to be silent. This will allow him to fully focus on food and his feelings.
An integral part of the weight loss process should be physical exercise. The child can be given to the sports section, start walking with him in the evenings, sign up for the pool. But here it must also be borne in mind that if you continue to spend time sitting, your child is unlikely to be inflamed with a desire to make any effort.
What can not be done?
When parents are faced with the problem of obesity in a child, there is a great temptation to start blaming someone, arrange terror or concentrate all their energies on achieving a result. However, it is very important to understand what can and cannot be done. So, in itself, the search for the guilty will not lead to anything. No need to blame a kindergarten with an unbalanced diet, a grandmother with her pies, a child with his immoderate appetite, or yourself. The most important thing in this situation is to recognize the problem and the cause and deal with them without undue reproach.
As mentioned above, simply forbidding a child to eat certain foods will not work. At preschool age, such measures are perceived very painfully. You should not make goodies a coveted prize received for some kind of achievement. In this case, the child can make a cult out of food, and this is unlikely to have a positive effect on the process.
Separate conversation - physical activity. You can't solve anything by force either. It is better to try to make morning exercises a fun game, and practice with your baby. This will not only help instill a good habit in him, but will also give you the opportunity to communicate more and better with your child.
As for the choice of sections ... Again, there is a great temptation to choose those where the greatest loads go, but you need to give the child a choice. Classes should not be held under pressure. Let it be a calmer and less energy-intensive sport, but the child will like it, and, as a result, he himself will give all the best in the classroom.
As you know, a specific goal in front of your eyes is the best motivation. However, the goal must be achievable. There is no need to demand everything from the child at once. Start small. First, accustom him to daily exercises, only then proceed to the selection of the section. In food, follow the same principle.
And one more thing: do not concentrate on the problem yourself and focus the attention of the child on it. He should not feel flawed, this adversely affects both the process and the child's psyche. Let it be a game, fun and relaxed.
Prevention of childhood obesity
Of course, prevention is always better than a hasty solution to a problem that has already arisen. Actually, for the purpose of prevention, you can and should do about the same thing that is required for weight loss. That is, morning exercises, sports, mobility, proper nutrition.
Of course, if there is no excess weight yet, prohibitions and restrictions can be much less strict. In any case, the child does not have to be strictly controlled, for example, at the festive table. One piece of cake or a serving of salad with mayonnaise is unlikely to hurt him.
The advantage of prevention is not only that it allows you not to face the problem of excess weight in children, but also that the child from childhood will get used to healthy lifestyle life, and thus avoid many other problems.
