Know the causes and risks of childhood obesity

Learn about the causes and risks of childhood obesity Copy Cwp April 8, 2018 No Comments When children eat more than they need, their bodies store the extra calories in adipocytes to use as energy later. If this pattern continues over time, and their bodies do not need this stored energy, they develop more adipocytes and may become obese. Learn about the causes and risks of childhood obesity. It is not a single factor or behavior that causes obesity, but many, such as a person’s habits, lifestyle, and environment. Genetics and some conditions also increase a person’s chances of becoming obese. Causes Learned Habits and Behaviors Babies and toddlers are very good at listening to their bodies’ signals of hunger and fullness. They will stop eating as soon as their bodies tell them they have consumed enough. But sometimes a well-meaning parent tells them they have to finish everything on their plate. This forces them to ignore their fullness and eat everything they are served. The way we eat as children can tremendously affect our eating behaviors as adults. When we repeat these behaviors over many years, they become habits. They affect what we eat and when and how much we eat. Other learned behaviors include using food to: Reward good behaviors Seeking comfort when we feel sad Expressing love These learned habits lead to eating regardless of whether we are hungry or full. Many people have great difficulty breaking these habits. Lifestyle and environment Family, friends, schools, and community resources in a child’s environment They do not reinforce lifestyle habits regarding food and activity. Children are surrounded by many things that can easily lead them to overeat and difficulty being active: Parents have less time to plan and prepare healthy meals. As a result, children are eating more processed foods and fast foods that are often less healthy than meals prepared at home. Children see up to 10,000 food advertisements each year. Most of these are for candy, fast food, soda, and sugary cereals. See also: snacks and sweetened drinks for children. Today, more foods high in fat and containing too much sugar are processed. Vending machines and convenience stores (minimarkets) make it easy to get a quick snack, but they rarely sell healthy foods. Overeating is a habit reinforced by restaurants that advertise high-calorie foods and large portion sizes. At Home If a parent is overweight as well as poor eating and exercise habits, the child is likely to adopt the same habits. Watching television, playing games, texting, and playing on the computer are activities that require very little energy. They can take up a lot of time and replace physical activity. Additionally, when children watch television, they often crave the unhealthy, high-calorie snacks they see in commercials. See also: screen time. At school Schools have an important role in teaching students about healthy food choices and exercise. But not all schools offer healthy food options or activity time. physical life. Automatic dispensers in schools that sell soda and other sweet drinks make it easy for children to select unhealthy options. In the community Having a safe community that supports outdoor activities in parks or indoor activities in community centers is important to encourage physical activity. If a parent feels that it is not safe to allow their child to play outside, the child is more likely to engage in sedentary activities indoors. Eating disorders and obesity in children The term “eating disorders” refers to a group of medical problems that have an unhealthy focus on eating, dieting, weight loss or gain, and body image. Obesity and eating disorders often occur at the same time in adolescent girls and young adult women who may be unhappy with their body image. Genetic Factors Some children are at higher risk for obesity due to genetic factors (they have inherited genes from their parents that cause their bodies to gain weight easily). This would have been a very good trait hundreds of years ago, when food was hard to find and people were very active. Today, however, this can work against people who have these genes. Genetics is not the only cause of obesity. To become obese, children must also eat more calories than they need for growth and energy. Obesity may be linked to rare genetic disorders, such as Prader Willi syndrome. Medical factors Certain medical conditions, such as hormonal disorders or hypothyroidism, and certain medications, such as steroids or anticonvulsants, can can increase a child’s appetite, which over time increases his or her risk of obesity.