Feeding of underweight children

Obesity can be defined as an excessive accumulation of fat or adipose tissue in the body. It is the most prevalent nutritional and metabolic disorder in the pediatric age group, causing health disorders in children that were previously considered "adult ailments", such as high cholesterol, arterial hypertension and diabetes.

Its increase in the last decades is mainly due to the increase in the consumption of fast foods -high in calories-, and to the reduction of physical activity levels, mainly due to the excessive enjoyment of free time in passive distractions -such as watching TV or playing sitting in front of computer screens, cell phones, etc.-.

What are the symptoms of childhood obesity?

Not all children who have a few extra kilos suffer from obesity; some have a body weight above the average -called overweight- which, although not considered healthy, does not represent such a great risk for the child's health and is easier to eradicate than obesity. It is therefore recommended to consult a pediatrician whenever we observe that children are gaining too much weight, in order to combat in time a disorder that can become much more serious.

Specialists in many cases cannot diagnose overweight or obesity with the naked eye either, but have to rely on measurements, growth charts, body mass index and take into account family history and the results of other additional tests to determine if the child is in a healthy weight range.

The noticeable symptoms of overweight and obesity at a glance are:

• Increased body weight above average for height and age.
• Breathing changes - wheezing - when walking or performing any other moderate physical activity.
• Frequent manifestations of tiredness, fatigue, lack of concentration and drowsiness, which can manifest themselves at school or in the performance of their usual routines.

What are the causes of childhood obesity?

Our organism needs a continuous supply of the energy necessary to breathe, grow, maintain temperature, repair tissues, among many other functions. This energy -which is expressed in calories- is found to a greater or lesser extent in all foods, so its levels in the human body depend directly on the amount of food we eat.

Excess energy in the child's diet is almost always the factor that causes overweight, since all the calories that are consumed unnecessarily are stored in the body to be used at another time; when this happens on a regular basis, it causes overweight and obesity. However, genetic and hormonal factors can also play a role.

Which children are most at risk for childhood obesity?

• Children who follow inadequate diets: Generally, children do not eat more food than their bodies need; however, when we wrongly insist that they continue to suckle, or eat after they have said they feel satisfied, we are stimulating unnecessary weight gain.

  On the other hand, when we add sugar to food or put soft drinks and sweets within their reach, we are supplying them with exaggerated amounts of calories that are deposited in their organism in the form of fat.

• Children who do not usually do moderate physical exercise and spend excessive time watching TV or playing video games: The only healthy way to burn the excess calories provided by the diet is by doing physical activities; these not only help to avoid obesity, but also contribute to the proper development of bones, muscles, organs and systems, including the brain.
• Children suffering from psychological disorders: Children who suffer from indifference, lack of attention, scolding or punishment at home, daycare or school may have difficulty regulating the amount of food they need; or they may fight their insecurities, boredom or fears by overeating.
• Children who grow up surrounded by obese people: The family -especially the parents- and the obese caregivers usually value the child overweight as a symptom of good health, so they do not stimulate physical exercise or the consumption of healthy food.
• Children who have to take certain medications: Some medications such as prednisone, anticonvulsants, etcetera; can increase appetite and the risk of overweight.
• Genetic factors: Children of obese parents are more likely to be obese than children of normal weight parents.

Consequences of childhood obesity

• Obesity combined with a sedentary lifestyle can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus, a chronic degenerative disease that affects children's health in a variety of ways.
• It exaggeratedly increases blood cholesterol levels and causes arterial hypertension, favoring the appearance of serious cardiovascular diseases in the short, medium and long term.
• It causes pain and injuries to the bone system, mainly in the hips, knees and back.
• It causes breathing problems during sleep known as obstructive sleep apnea. This potentially serious condition causes the child's breathing to stop momentarily and repeatedly during sleep.
• It favors the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a disorder that can cause liver damage due to the accumulation of fat inside the liver.
• Childhood obesity can also generate low self-esteem, feelings of inferiority and depression because children and adolescents who suffer from it are often victims of teasing, discrimination and bullying.

Recommendations to avoid childhood obesity

Select exclusive breastfeeding as the way to feed the little ones during the first six months of life; and continue from six months onwards offering breastfeeding and introducing a varied and healthy diet.

Take children at least once a year to a well-child visit so that the pediatrician can measure their height and weight