What if I Think My Child is Obese?
If you are worried about your child's weight, you are not alone. A survey from the AOA found that nearly "...30 percent of parents said that they are 'somewhat' or 'very' concerned about their children's weight." 1Your child's pediatrician will measure her height and weight. Since he is familiar with your child's medical history, and he will take into account her growth patterns. He can also determine if your child is experiencing weight-related health issues.
In order to determine if your child's weight is normal, health professionals use a formula called BMI. This stands for Body Mass Index, which takes into account height and weight.
The resulting number is compared to a growth chart categorized by age and gender.
In some cases, a thyroid test may be performed in order to rule out problems with the functioning of the thyroid gland. Endocrine disorders are sometimes found to be the cause of weight gain in children.
Once a medical reason for overweight is eliminated, your doctor will discuss his findings with you and talk about what you can do to help your child.
If your child is found to be only moderately overweight, a ]weight management program will be recommended to lower the rate of weight gain as your child grows taller and develops muscle. Your doctor's recommendations will likely be to begin changing your child's eating habits as well increasing her activity level.
If a child is obese or has health problems related to weight, then weight loss will be recommended rather than preventative measures.
If your child is found to be more than 40 percent overweight, you will probably be advised to begin her on a physician-guided and/or a registered dietitian-developed weight loss plan.
It is important to remember that growth spurts and weight gain are part of growing up, particularly once puberty begins. Additionally, there are outside factors like heredity and ethnicity that can affect your child's weight and body frame.
You should under no circumstances put a child on a restrictive diet without first consulting with her pediatrician.
References:
1 "American Obesity Association: Childhood Obesity." American Obesity Association. 16 March 2003 <http://www.obesity.org/subs/childhood/>.
2 Torgan, Ph.D., Carol. "Childhood Obesity on the Rise." June 2002. 16 March 2003 <http://www.nih.gov/news/WordonHealth/jun2002/childhoodobesity.htm>.
3 "Childhood Obesity May Hasten Adult Problems." Duke Health Brief. 16 March 2003 <http://dukehealth.org/news/health care_july02_2.asp>.
4 "Increased consumption of soda promotes childhood obesity." Research Matters. 16 March 2003 <http://www.researchmatters.harvard.edu/story.php?article_id=21>.
