[팜뉴스=이석훈 기자] Contrary to ‘I’m worried regarding my child not eating too much’, most parents are tolerant of their children’s overeating. This is because they think that adequate nutrition is necessary as they are growing up. However, this is the time to maintain a proper weight with a balanced diet and sufficient calorie consumption.
Professor Kim Do-hyun of the Department of Pediatrics at Kyunghee University Hospital said, “Unlike the past when food was scarce, the age of childhood obesity is gradually lowering, such as excessive nutrition, unbalanced eating habits centered on convenience food and instant food, and irregular lifestyles destroying the nutritional system.” “Because childhood obesity not only slows down growth, but can also act as a cause of future adult diseases such as fatty liver, diabetes, and high blood pressure, parents need to make special efforts,” he said.
Complications of obesity include fatty liver and diabetes. Fatty liver is when more than 5% of the liver’s weight has accumulated in the body. Because there are no symptoms, it is easy to neglect and if it persists, it can develop into steatohepatitis, which can lead to liver damage and liver fibrosis and cirrhosis in the future. As the prevalence of fatty liver in children and adolescents has increased by 44% over the past 15 years, special attention and attention are required.
Professor Jeon Sook of the Department of Endocrinology at Kyunghee University Hospital said, “40-50% of children and adolescents with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which is related to obesity and overweight. “Inappropriate eating habits and eating habits are one of the primary causes of childhood obesity, and unconditionally allowing children’s favorite foods because they help their growth will eventually lead to adverse health effects due to biased meals such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Therefore, it is necessary to change the perception of parents and adults around them.”
In addition, “to help children grow and develop, it is necessary to provide a nutritionally balanced meal and create an environment where they can focus on eating when eating, so that they can chew and enjoy food several times to help them absorb nutrients effectively.” said.
Obesity is largely divided into primary and secondary. If the total amount of energy consumed exceeds consumption without a specific disease, it is primary, and if it is related to a specific disease, it is secondary. That is why it is necessary to identify the exact cause and manage it effectively through consultation with a professional medical team and various tests.
Professor Jeon said, “In general, when evaluating dietary intake for obesity treatment, there are cases where the intake of fat is unconditionally bad. Intake is essential,” he said.
The key to childhood obesity treatment is exercise and diet control. Swimming and indoor cycling are great, but if your child isn’t interested, it’s a good idea to recommend a game that allows them to exercise. In addition, when correcting eating habits, it is important to maintain a balanced diet so that sufficient energy and nutrient intake can be achieved rather than unconditional weight loss considering that you are growing.
Professor Kim Do-hyeon said, “If you look at the recently visited obese children, most of them do not lose weight, but rather gain 10~20kg because of the influence of Corona and cold weather. Therefore, the whole family, not the child alone, should make efforts to exercise and improve their diet together. It is the most important,” he emphasized.
