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Heartline Magazine April - June 2004
Obesity and Overweight in Children
Obese children are more likely to become obese adults. Successfully
preventing or treating obesity in childhood may reduce the risk of adult
obesity. This may help reduce the risk of heart disease and other diseases.
Obesity is too much body fat. With children and adolescents, it's important
to consider weight and body composition Reaching and maintaining an appropriate
body weight is important. That's why recommendations that focus on small but
permanent changes in eat- ing may work better than a series of short-term
changes that can't be sustained.
- Reducing dietary fat is the easiest change. Highly
restrictive diets that forbid favourite foods are likely to fail. They should
be limited to rare patients with severe complications who must lose weight
quickly.
- Becoming more active widely recommended. Increased activity
is common in all studies of successful weight reduction. Create. an
environment that fosters physical activity.
- Parents' involvement in modifying obese children's behavior
is important. Parents who model healthy eating and activity can positively
influence their children's health.
In treating most obese children, the main emphasis should be to prevent
weight gain above what's appropriate for expected increases in height. This is
called prevention of increased weight gain velocity. For many children this may
mean limited or no weight gain while they grow taller.
Recommendations for maintaining weight should include regular physical
activity and careful attention to diet to avoid too many calories. Factors
predicting success are:
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Frequent intervention visits.
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Including parents in the dietary treatment program.
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Strong social support of dietary intervention from other involved in
preparing food.
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Regular exercise prescription including social support.
The importance of continuing these lifestyle changes well past the initial
treatment period should be emphasized to the entire family. The healthiest way
to change weight is gradually.
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